Town's fly-tipping fines to more than double

Councils across the UK dealt with almost 1.1 million incidents of fly-tipping in 2021-22

Fly-tippers in Rotherham could be fined up to £1,000 after the government handed the council new powers to crack down on litter louts.

Previously, Rotherham Council could issue fixed penalty notices of £400, but this is set to rise to £1,000 from 1 April 2024.

Meanwhile, fines for littering offences are set to rise from £150 to a maximum of £500.

Rotherham Council said enforcing the maximum penalties would "send a clear message" after local authorities were given the freedom to set the rates offenders should pay, within certain limits.

'Not acceptable'

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, the new rules, which are set to be approved by the council’s cabinet next week, also set out fines for residents in what are known as “duty of care offences”.

That means residents are responsible for ensuring their waste is disposed of properly by a licensed removal service.

People who use illegal unlicensed firms could be fined up to £600.

Council leader Chris Read said: “These increases will mean perpetrators in Rotherham can face the toughest penalties possible in law.

"It should send a clear message to those who choose to selfishly break the law that we expect them to pay the full price for doing so.

"It’s not acceptable or fair on others to dump your trash wherever you like.”

In 2021-22, councils across the UK dealt with almost 1.1 million incidents of fly-tipping and issued 91,000 fines.