LITTER bugs will be handed £75 on-the-spot fines.
People caught dropping litter in Frodsham and Helsby will face the fines in a move to clean up the region. The move forms part of Vale Royal Borough Council’s Supporting My Local Environment (Smyle) campaign which was introduced after 95% of homeowners said they wanted the new litter fines introduced.
Lead councillor for environmental management, Cllr Lynn Riley, said: “The ‘don’t fall foul of a fine’ message has been heavily publicised over the past six months, with the introduction of football-style yellow and red cards issued as warnings that dropping litter is an offence and fines were coming.”
Each year the council clears more than 3,000 tonnes of litter from the streets, even though there are more than 750 litter bins around the borough in which rubbish can be placed.
Roadshows have taken place across the borough with more than 1,500 warning cards issued already.
Police community support officers across the borough will issue the fixed penalty notices to people who drop litter. For those offenders who fail to pay the fixed penalty or continually drop litter, they will face a court prosecution and fine of up to £2,500.
Cllr Riley added: “Most people are law-abiding and take pride in keeping their borough clean. It is those who drop litter and cause this mess who should be made to pay.
“People have made it clear to us that litter dropped in the street is one of the things they find most irritating. It makes the area look untidy and dirty and it costs time and money to clear it up.”
The next roadshow will be Thursday, January 24, from 9am-1pm in Frodsham, outside NatWest.
To find out more, phone Streetscene on 0800 435199 or visit the council website – www.valeroyal.gov.uk
