Fines may be doubled as council gets tough on fly-tippers

COUNCILLORS ARE considering whether to double fines for flytipping offences, in a bid to tackle the scourge in Hull.

The local authority spent £546,447 investigating 20,018 reports of fly-tipping between 2012 and 2018 but raised just £95,346 in fines, according to new figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs.

In the same period, the council issued 435 fixed penalty notices and there were 489 prosecutions.

Authorities can issue a £200 fixed penalty notice if they have enough evidence to confirm who is responsible for fly-tipping. Offenders can also be fined under the Environmental Protection Act, whereby they can pay a fine to avoid court proceedings.

Now, under new proposals, the level of fines would rise to £400, with a minimum penalty of £150.

Coun Anita Harrison, Hull Council’s portfolio holder for Streetscene, said: “Despite being a top-performing council, we’re disappointed that a small minority of people actively choose not to take pride in their city by dropping litter. We have approximately 2,000 bins across the city, so there is no excuse for this antisocial behaviour.”

She added: “Improving environmental standards is a top priority for the council, and we are prosecuting those who flytip. However, by taking an even tougher stand on enforcement by increasing the levels of fines, we can deter any potential offenders.”