West Oxfordshire: Fines for fly-tipping and littering set to go up

More than £20,000 has been spent on cleaning up dumped rubbish in the area recently

People who graffiti, litter and fly-tip will face tougher consequences under new council plans.

West Oxfordshire District Council said fixed penalty notices would increase to the maximum amount allowed by the government to crack down on anti-social behaviour.

The maximum fine for those caught fly-tipping will increase from £400 to £1,000.

Those who litter or graffiti could be fined £500, up from £150.

Fines for people who breach their household waste duty of care will also rise from £400 to £600.

The authority said these types of anti-social behaviour created an eyesore and spoiled the enjoyment of outdoor spaces that residents use.

There were more than 1,100 fly-tipping incidents in the area between 1 October 2022 and 30 September 2023, with an estimated clean-up cost of more than £20,000, council figures revealed.

Lidia Arciszewska, the council's executive member for environment, said there was "no excuse" for dumping rubbish. "By increasing the penalties for those caught in the act, we can deter those who consider spoiling our streets or damaging our environment," she added.

"Nobody likes a litter lout and there is no excuse for dumping rubbish anywhere in our beautiful district."

Follow BBC South on Facebook, X, or Instagram. Send your story ideas to [e-mail].