City could raise litter fines in fresh clampdown

The council is in talks with private contractors tasked with increasing action against littering across the city

Liverpool City Council is considering raising fixed-penalty fines for people littering from £80 to £200 as part of a fresh clampdown.

The council is in talks with private contractors tasked with increasing action against littering across the city, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Bosses hope wardens will be out across Liverpool from July, seven years since the council severed ties with controversial litter enforcement company Kingdom after a large number of complaints.

Councillors are due to meet in May to consider the fine increase.

Liverpool City Council said 3,000 bins bags and 1,200 fridge freezers as well as 539 shopping trollies were dumped between May 2023 and 2024.

It currently spends around £12.5m on cleaning litter and fly-tipping.

Councillor Laura Robertson-Collins said the proposed litter fine increase would strike a "good balance between deterrent and punishment".

Officials said three private contractors have been interviewed for a five-year contract to take on the city's litter issues.

The council's cabinet is expected to sign off on the selected contractor during its meeting in June.

The council said it was "looking for enforcement interventions that are delivered in a way that is fair and proportionate" while the "quality" of officers "is critical to the reputation of the city".