People caught illegally dumping rubbish in Swindon face tougher penalties as the council steps up its crackdown on fly-tipping.
Swindon Borough Council has significantly increased fines for the most serious offences, following new Government regulations introduced in September.
The changes come after more than 2,000 incidents of fly-tipping were reported across the borough since January this year.
Under the new rules, offenders could be handed fixed penalty notices of up to £5,000, compared with the council’s previous maximum of £400.
The council’s Enviro Crime team has already issued 49 fines this year, with penalties totalling £19,600.
Officers investigate reports of illegally dumped waste, gather evidence and take enforcement action against those responsible.
Councillor Kevin Parry, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Recycling and Streetscene, said: “Since becoming Cabinet Member, I wanted to send a very clear message from day one: if you fly-tip in Swindon, we will come after you and you can expect to pay up to a £5,000 fine.
“Fly-tipping is not a minor inconvenience. It blights neighbourhoods, damages our environment and leaves ordinary taxpayers footing the bill to clear up other people’s mess.
“We are taking a firm, common-sense approach that backs our communities, supports law-abiding residents and holds offenders accountable for their actions.
“Our Enviro Crime team is already identifying offenders and issuing fines, and we will continue to use every enforcement tool available to us to keep Swindon’s streets, parks and public spaces clean.”
Residents are being urged to continue reporting fly-tipping through the council’s website to help officers identify offenders and build cases against them.
The council has also warned householders that they have a legal responsibility to ensure their waste is disposed of properly.
Anyone paying someone to take away rubbish should check they are a registered waste carrier, as they could still be held responsible if their waste is later found dumped illegally.
