North Lincolnshire: Increased powers to tackle anti-social behaviour

People caught drinking in the street, cycling in pedestrianised zones or littering face higher fines, a council has warned.

North Lincolnshire Council said it would reduce anti-social behaviour in Scunthorpe and Brigg.

New powers for councils to increase fines for some Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN) came into force in the summer.

Council leader Rob Waltham said taxpayers should not pay the bill for "irresponsible behaviour."

Cycling in pedestrianised areas is banned, with anyone caught immediately given a fixed penalty notice, the same applies to people drinking in the street.

Previously, the Public Spaces Protection Order (PSPO), meant cyclists could only be fined in they refused to dismount, and street drinkers had to be dealt with by the police.

Mr Waltham said: "We will not stop until we eradicate this behaviour.

"People need to use one of the thousands of bins provided, get off their bikes and push or dispose of their household waste responsibly - it really is not that difficult.

"Local taxpayers will not pick up the bill for irresponsible behaviour."

North Lincolnshire Council has increased fines for the following:

• Littering from £150 to £200

• Fly-tipping from £400 to £1,000

• Household Waste Duty of Care from £400 to £600

• Graffiti and Fly-posting from £150 to £500.

John Davison, cabinet member for communities, urban, said a public consultation had shown the public was "overwhelmingly in support of tougher action".

"The vast majority of people don't make the area a mess for others or cause problems - but for the few that do we are going to hit them even harder in the pocket, clearly they have not listened to our requests, pleas and demands," he said.