Most councils issue less than one fine a week to litterers, according to data obtained via freedom of information rules, with one in six issuing no fines at all across a year. Enforcement varied widely, with a handful of the councils in England and Wales issuing more than 100 a week. Campaigners at Clean Up Britain said the level of littering was “shameful” and that enforcement of fines by councils should be made compulsory. They said the maximum on-the-spot fine of £150 was “derisory” and should be increased to £1,000.
Littering has increased as more people have visited parks during the coronavirus pandemic, with councils each having to clear up an average of 57 tonnes of additional waste from April to July, according to a survey by Keep Britain Tidy (KBT). “The levels of litter and waste being left has reached unprecedented levels,” one council officer told KBT. Offenders who fail to pay the on-the-spot fines can be prosecuted and fined up to £2,500 and the spokeswoman said there were 22,699 such convictions in 2019, though this was a fall of 23% on 2018. The government has no plans to increase the on-the-spot fines, she said.
Councillor Darren Rodwell, at the Local Government Association, said: “Councils are working hard to keep parks, streets and public spaces free from litter. Responsibility for litter lies with the person dropping it. [Fines] are a useful tool but on their own will not stop littering.”
Source: Guardian
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