Flytippers face fines hike as county gets ‘tougher’

PEOPLE responsible for fly-tipping, littering, graffiti and other environmental offences in County Durham will soon face higher fixed penalty notice (FPN) fines.

Durham County Council’s move to introduce tougher penalties follows its decision to scrap early payment discounts last summer . It means the maximum FPN for fly-tipping will soar from £400 to £1,000, with littering FPNs rising from £150 to £250 and graffiti and flyposting FPNs from £100 to £250.

The maximum FPN for household duty of care offences, which relate to people failing to arrange responsible disposal of their waste, will increase from £300 to £400. A new £500 FPN will be introduced for any repeat littering, graffiti or fly-posting offences, alongside a £600 FPN for repeat household duty of care offences.

Coun Mark Wilkes, Durham County Council’s cabinet member for neighbourhoods and climate change, said: “We’ve really cracked down on environmental offences – issuing more fines and taking more perpetrators to court than ever before. In the last couple of years, we’ve seen the number of fly-tipping cases in the county fall to an alltime low and the rate is now at around half the national average.

“It’s no coincidence that this has come at a time when we’ve stepped up enforcement activity and taken a tough stance in how we deal with these offences. And we’re about to get even tougher.

“We want to reinforce the message that fly-tipping and other environmental offences will not be tolerated and we know local people want to see those responsible for these kinds of offences face much tougher penalties.

“Of course, we will still try to educate and engage wherever possible, but it’s important to back that up with tough enforcement. The new fly-tipping fine, as well as the new fines for repeat offences will all be set at the maximum sum permitted by national regulations.”

The new, higher FPNs, will come into effect from 1 May 2024.

To find out more about how waste can be disposed of responsibly, visit www.durham.gov.uk/environment.