main content Dumped rubbish fine leads to court prosecution

A woman has been prosecuted for not paying the fine she received for dumping rubbish in the street at Longfield, Bromley. Ms Yvonne Blake failed to attend Bromley Magistrates’ Court and the matter was proved in her absence. She was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £565 within 28 days.

“Our priority is to keep the streets free of rubbish and litter. Dumping anything on the street, whether it’s bags of rubbish or unwanted furniture, is illegal. Anyone issued with a fixed penalty notice for such an offence should pay it. Otherwise they could receive a bigger fine and a criminal record if we summon them to court” said Peter Turvey, Enforcement and Technical Support Manager.

It emerged that a council enviro-crime enforcement officer visited Longfield, Bromley in May 2007 after receiving a report of fly-tipped waste. Two black bags containing household waste, large pieces of wood and cable reels had been dumped in the street. Evidence was discovered linking the fly-tipped waste to Ms Blake and a fixed penalty notice was issue for the littering offence.

The £80 fixed penalty notice must be paid within 14 days but is reduced to £50 if paid within 10 days. As no payment had been received after 14 days, a reminder letter was sent. When a further 14 days had expired and the payment had still not been received, a letter was sent advising that legal action would be taken.

Councils have been able to issue fixed penalty notices for environmental offences, instead of taking offenders to court, since the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 became law. Fixed penalty notices, ranging from £80 to £300 can be given for offences such as littering, not looking after your waste, graffiti and fly-posting, and abandoning a vehicle.

Anyone seeing an enviro-crime being committed should call the police and report the details to the council. A description of the offender, vehicle registration and a photograph would be helpful. Providing this information could be useful evidence and up to £500 may be given as a reward.

Further information on fixed penalty notices for environmental offences and the enviro-crime reward scheme is available from www.bromley.gov.uk/neatstreet  or by calling the Customer Service Centre on 020 8313 4557.


ENDS 

For media enquiries, please contact Andrew Rogers, Communications Advisor on 020 8461 7670 email andrew.rogers@bromley.gov.uk or Peter Turvey, Enforcement and Technical Support Manager on 020 8313 4901.

Further information is available at www.bromley.gov.uk