Why we issue fixed penalty notices (FPNs) and how much to pay
There are various reasons as to why you may be issued with a fixed penalty notice.
Littering
Dropping litter anywhere is an offence. Litter is everything from food packaging to cigarette butts and chewing gum. It can also include feeding birds.
Public Space Protection Orders
Find out more about Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs) in operation.
Dog fouling and dog control
Three Public Space Protection Orders are in operation:
- requiring dog fouling to be removed from any public open space
- requiring dogs on leads in certain important sporting, wildlife or cultural locations
- banning dogs from enclosed children’s play areas
Anti-social behaviour
Three Public Space Protection Orders are in operation in a number of locations across the district:
- to control the drinking of alcohol
- requiring the dispersal of gatherings
- prohibiting the use of BBQs and disposable fires
Flyposting
It is an offence to display advertising material on buildings and street furniture without the consent of the owner.
We will remove any fly-posting on the highway and issue an FPN for offences or prosecute in serious cases.
Flytipping
Flytipping is the illegal dumping of waste. It can vary in scale significantly, from a bin bag of rubbish, to larger bulky waste items being dumped, such as mattresses or white goods.
You may be prosecuted for fly-tipping but an FPN may be offered in certain circumstances.
Domestic duty of care
Where flytipped waste or waste in the hands of a non-registered waste holder is traced back to an individual who is found to have failed to take reasonable steps to ensure that they transferred the waste to an authorised person, an FPN can be offered in place of a prosecution.
Commercial waste duty of care
Businesses have a duty of care to ensure their waste is removed by a licensed waste carrier. If we suspect a business is not dealing with its waste responsibly, we can issue a notice requiring the production of waste transfer documents. Failure to produce the documents results in the issue of a fine.
FPN amounts
| Code | Description of offence | Act of Parliament | Full amount of penalty | Maximum on conviction |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| WA | Depositing litter | Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 87 (1) and 88 (1) |
£150 (£75 if paid within 14 days) |
£1,000 |
| WB | Littering from vehicles | The Littering From Vehicles Outside London (Keepers: Civil Penalties) Regulations 2018 |
£150 £75 if paid within 14 days) |
£1,000 |
| WC | Graffiti and/or fly-posting | Anti-Social Behaviour Act 2003, Section 43 |
£150 (£75 if paid within 14 days) |
£500 or imprisonment |
| WD | Unauthorised distribution of free printed matter | Environmental Protection Act 1990, Schedule 3A | £75 | £2,500 |
| WE | Abandoning a vehicle | Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978, Section 21 (1) |
£200 (£120 if paid within 14 days) |
£1,000 |
| WF | Fly-tipping | The Unauthorised Deposit of Waste (Fixed Penalties) Regulations 2016 | £400 (£200 if paid within 10 days) | £50,000 or imprisonment |
| WG | Failure to produce waste documents | Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 34(6) and 34A(1) |
£300 (£150 if paid within 14 days) |
£5,000 |
| WH | Failure to produce authority to transport waste | Control of Pollution Amendment Act 1989, Section 5(2)(a) para.1(1) and 7(2) | £300 | £5,000 |
| WI | Waste receptacle offences | Environmental Protection Act 1990, Section 47(6) and 47ZA(2) |
£80 (£40 if paid within 14 days) |
£1,000 |
| WJ | Community Protection Notice | Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Section 48 |
£100 (£75 if paid within 14 days) |
£20,000 |
| P1 | PSPO, dog fouling | Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Section 67 and 68 |
£100 (£75 if paid within 14 days) |
£1,000 |
| P2 | PSPO, dogs on leads | Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Section 67 and 68 |
£100 (£75 if paid within 14 days) |
£1,000 |
| P3 | PSPO, dog exclusion | Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Section 67 and 68 |
£100 (£75 if paid within 14 days) |
£1,000 |
| P4 | PSPO, alcohol control | Anti-Social Behaviour, Crime and Policing Act 2014, Section 67 and 68 |
£100 (£75 if paid in 14 days) |
£1,000 |
| V1 | Vehicle repairs on the road | Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, Section 4 and 6 | £100 | £2,500 |
| V2 | Exposing vehicles for sale on the road | Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005, Section 3 and 6 | £100 | £2,500 |