Decision details

The Executive considered a revised and updated Fixed Penalty Notice Enforcement Policy which reflected changes in legislation and set out the Council’s commitment to take enforcement action against environmental crime perpetrators.

Two significant changes to the current regime were proposed.  The first related to the abolition of the early repayment option for the offences of Failing to Produce Waste Documents and Failure to Produce Waste Carriers Licence.  Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for both these offences were £300, currently reduced to £180 if paid within 10 days. It was hoped that the withdrawal of an early payment discount would encourage businesses to be properly licensed and to dispose of their waste correctly, rather than risk a fine.

Currently, although the law allowed for FPNs to be issued to anyone over the age of 10, the Council did not issue FPNs to anyone under the age of 18.  The second significant change related to the introduction of a flexible policy which allowed officers, at their discretion, to issue FPNs to juveniles between the ages of 10 and 17.

In this connection, Members asked for the details of the research which indicated that juveniles were responsible for increased littering during the schools holidays.  The Portfolio Holder undertook to provide the evidence outside the meeting.

Resolved that the revised Fixed Penalty Notice Policy, as set out at Annex A of the agenda report, be approved.