The LGA has secured a victory from DEFRA, who have increased the amount councils can fine litter louts. They have also enabled local councils to fine vehicle owners that drop litter, rather than the onus being on councils to prove who in the vehicle dropped it. Find out more.
Draft press release:
LOCAL CAMPAIGNERS URGE [NAME] COUNCIL TO PREPARE TO MAKE USE OF NEW POWERS
Responding to DEFRA’s announcement extending litter-tackling powers for councils, [YOUR NAME] said:
“It is good to see that from April, councils will have greater powers to tackle litter, which is a blight on the communities we serve. These measures are a hugely positive step in the right direction, and this is a welcome result from the Local Government Association lobbying.
“Councils being able to issue increased fines to litter louts, who show no consideration for the community they live in, will send a strong message to those who think their laziness is more important than the environment in which they live. But the challenge is now on [NAME] Council to ensure these powers are used.
“Allowing councils to fine the owners of vehicles from which litter is thrown from, rather than expecting councils to prove who exactly in the vehicle had thrown litter, is also something that the LGA has long called for. It is great that councils will be able to get tough with the anti-social minority who think our roads are a repository for rubbish.”
ENDS