CCTV TO BEAT LITTER LOUTS
cameras in Ashbourne could be used to track down people throwing litter from their cars.
At a meeting of Derbyshire Dales District Council on Thursday, members agreed to bring in new litter fines.
The fines were brought into force by government in April, but have now been adopted by the district council.
Motorists caught throwing litter from their vehicle will face a default fine of £100, with a maximum penalty of £150.
Councillors agreed that early payment of fines should result in a reduced payment of £75. As part of the scheme, the district council’s head of regulatory services, Tim Braund, confirmed that CCTV cameras in Ashbourne would be able to be used to catch suspects.
This is because the cameras in Ashbourne are not covert, and are well known and advertised to residents.
The authority’s environmental health officers would be those primarily responsible for issuing penalty notices.
They do not have the power to stop vehicles, so these notices would be issued in the post.
The only required evidence of the suspected incident would be testimony from environmental health officers, trading standards officials at the county council, and councillors themselves – in addition to the number plate of the vehicle.
The public would also be allowed to provide testimony – but only if they were deemed to be a “reliable witness” by the council. It would have to be established that the person could be put on the witness stand if the case went to court.
A report on the issue states: “The income received from civil penalties for littering from a motor vehicle may only be spent on functions relating to litter and refuse, including keeping land and highways clear of litter and refuse, and enforcement in relation to littering from motor vehicles, graffiti and fly-posting, and controlling the unauthorised distribution of free literature.”
In September last year, the district council spent £100,000 to install new CCTV cameras in Matlock Bath, Matlock, Bakewell, Ashbourne and Wirksworth.
In July, the authority approved spending an extra £9,450 a year to increase the number of days its CCTV manager works from two days a week to three.
The public would be allowed to provide testimony – if deemed to be a ‘reliable witness’