Purpose

Strategy on how to take litter enforcement forward - options paper.

Decision

The report related to updates needed to Buckinghamshire Council’s Littering Enforcement Policy (adopted in 2022) and introduced a new Litter Enforcement Strategy for adoption. The Council adopted the maximum allowable Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) rate of £150 for littering offences in 2022. However, on 31st July 2023 the Government introduced increased upper limits for FPNs for Fly-tipping, Failure in Household Duty of Care and Littering, The recommendations were to change the current Littering FPN fine levels to reflect the new limits. There were two key changes:

a) An increase in the Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) limit,

b) Adopting a Civil Penalty procedure for littering from vehicles

For all councils, litter was a constant problem, costing taxpayers in Buckinghamshire over £3.5 million annually to clean and dispose of littering waste. Littering took different forms, and the proposed strategy sought to address both litter thrown from vehicles, and dropped by pedestrians in towns through targeted enforcement and communication approaches.

RESOLVED –

(1)               That the revised Littering Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) upper limit be agreed and adopted to address the recent Government increase and the Littering Enforcement Policy amendments, which sets out criteria to issue a FPN to an offender based on admissions being made.

(2)               That the use of Civic Law Enforcement against littering from vehicles as set in The Littering from Vehicles Outside London (Keepers: Civil Penalties) Regulations 2018 be agreed and adopted.

(3)               That the Littering Enforcement Strategy for Buckinghamshire be agreed.

(4)               That the provision of additional In-House enforcement resources to proactively enforce against littering offices be agreed, namely additional estimated budget costs of £115k and offset by associated estimated income of £225k with any surplus income to go to reserves, if required.

(5)               That the proposed communications campaign accompanied by a dashcam appeal be agreed, to be piloted for a period of 3-6 months during 2024.