Visitors caught dropping rubbish on a popular UK beach could be fined up to £500 following an “embarrassing” summer of litter that left residents frustrated. North Norfolk District Council has unanimously backed tougher penalties for littering after large amounts of rubbish were left on Cromer beach during the busy summer season. Councillors agreed on September 7 to increase the maximum fixed penalty notice for littering from £80 to £500. The maximum penalty for fly-tipping in the district is also set to rise from £300 to £1,000 as part of the council’s tougher approach to environmental offences. The move follows growing frustration among residents and volunteers over the amount of waste being abandoned around the popular Norfolk seaside resort. However, the £500 penalty will not automatically be handed to everyone suspected of leaving rubbish behind. Councillor Callum Ringer explained that an enforcement officer must witness someone committing the littering offence before a fixed penalty notice can be issued. The council agreed to set its penalties at the statutory maximum available following an earlier instruction from the full council to strengthen enforcement against littering and fly-tipping. Councillors have also called for fly-tipping incidents to be investigated where sufficient evidence exists and backed promotion of the Government’s “Let’s S.C.R.A.P. fly-tipping” campaign, which encourages householders to check that people taking away their waste are registered carriers. The tougher approach comes after local volunteers spent much of the summer tackling the problem themselves. Cromer Litter Pickers has grown to around 45 volunteers who regularly clear rubbish from the area. Local resident Tony Bates established the group following particularly bad scenes on the beach, saying the amount of rubbish being left behind had made residents feel “embarrassed”. Fly-tipping has also become a major concern for councillors. During an earlier debate, members were told more than one million incidents had been reported on public highways nationally during the previous year, while only around 1,500 cases resulted in court proceedings. Councillors also highlighted the financial impact of illegally dumped waste, particularly on private land where the landowner can be left responsible for the cost of clearing it. The Government has separately announced plans for even tougher national penalties, potentially allowing maximum fixed penalties of £750 for littering and £5,000 for fly-tipping. For now, visitors to Cromer caught dropping their rubbish rather than putting it in a bin could find their day at the seaside comes with a bill of up to £500.
Originally published by UKNIP.
