YOU’VE BIN WARNED!
Council set to fine residents £75 for failing to put their rubbish out correctly
Sunderland residents could soon be charged £75 for failing to put their bins out correctly under a new policy backed by council bosses.
This week, Sunderland City Council’s cabinet endorsed a three-year Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO) which aims to crack down on public nuisance and anti-social behaviour.
While a city centre order was passed last April, new powers will cover all Sunderland’s open spaces from parks to shopping centres.
Theorderwillreplacecurrent controls on drinking alcohol and using psychoactive substances in public places alongside dog control orders andrestrictionsonstreettrading and peddling.
But following public concerns about littering and waste dumping, an additional control around waste management was added, allowing fines to be issued under Section 46 of the Environmental Protection Act (1990).
This will apply to people “failing to present household waste for collection in the manner prescribed by the waste collection authority”.
Anyone flouting the rules could be given a warning, with a penalty charge notice of £75 possible for repeat offenders.
Deputy council leader, Coun Michael Mordey, speakingatSunderlandCivicCentre, said the measures reflected the council’s “strong commitment to enforcement”.
The meeting heard the new powers would also allow the authority to “engage and educate” people about waste collection.
Speaking after the meeting, Coun Mordey, explained further: “The council committed over 18 months ago to step up our enforcement actions and the city-wide PSPO is a continuation of this tougher approach.
“As a listening council, and I hear it myself time and time again as a ward councillor, the prohibitions within the protection order are all issues regularly raised by residents. And so this is why we are introducing and updating what we can do. When it comes to household waste and recycling, we should all know that we have a responsibility to our neighbours to present our waste and recycling in an appropriate and timely way.
“This means not throwing it out at any time of the day or week, and it means using your bins properly. The order updates our ability to engage and educate the minority of residents who aren’t thinking of their neighbours. And, if necessary,wewillissuepenalties.”
The order can apply to tenants, homeowners and landlords and requires all household waste to placed in council bins correctly.
A report adds that penalties can be avoided if evidence is provided that the person “took all such steps as were reasonably available” to dispose of the waste correctly.
While bin offences are classed as littering, instances of fly-tipping can lead to higher fines.
Coun Mordey added: “Our central area PSPO has proved successful in helping to curb some of the issues faced in and around the city centre, with only a small number of penalty notices having to be issued because the initial warning did not have the desired impact.
“This update for the whole city, which is aimed at those who fail to present household waste for collection in the correct manner, is about engaging, educating and, if necessary, enforcing.
“I am confident, because it does and will not affect most people, this order will be welcomed. As we all want to live in a cleaner Sunderland.”
A date is yet to be announced for when the order goes ‘live’. Currently Sunderland City Council has several rules for the correct disposal of household waste.
Guidance on Sunderland City Council’s website states: “Where intelligence identifies that residents are regularly putting out incorrect and/or excess waste, the council will engage with them to provide advice guidance and support to ensure that they are able to maximise the capacity of the bins provided to contain all residual waste and recycling in the correct way.”
In a poll, the Echo asked: Do you think the planned £75 fines for people who flout bin rules are fair? 78% said no. Almost 700 people voted.