Forums Forums Wirral Information Wirral Council Wirral Litter Police : £80 Fines

Excellent!

I live next to council offices. A few years ago they had a "bus stop" smoking area built in the grounds. It's still there but apparently they're not allowed to use it (no smoking on council property). So now the staff stand around outside the front door to smoke and frequently drop their cigarette butts on the ground - it's a complete mess there.

Mr skeptic here.. I don't believe this story--yes maybe they have done a few people for littering. Governments make up stories to suit their own ends--in this case scare tactics
. They even admit it-- they lied on a form and it made people pay their council tax bills on time.

Now they admit lying about benefit:

Government department admits: We made up stories on our benefits leaflets
http://www.express.co.uk/news/uk/59...ork-and-Pensions-welfare-reforms-leaflet

maybe they would argue the end justifies the means

All very good points raised
Love the litter picking one.

My original point was if this is truly at "Litter" campaign then why is it not targeted to all kinds of littering. In my humble opinion its discriminating towards smokers because it brings in the revenue which from the £80,000 speaks volumes.

From the results they have 98% of the revenue from Cigarette related offences. Which is not balanced at all for a "Litter" campaign, its a Revenue Campaign or it would be called "Don't Drop your Butt" and giving fair warning to a smoker to be aware of the campaign. If the revenue was balanced you could say its a fair and honest campaign. But its not informed smokers of the new harsh fines being imposed under new littering rules.

I'm an ex smoker so i'm not fighting for the smoker but just how unfair and under had this comes across at.

Dog Fouling.
Its known that it has not be a successful campaign and prosecutions are minimal. Due to an expensive process. But while this was in place, i cant remember a smoker being fined for dropping a cigarette butt.


Shame on the Council in my opinion for this tactic and the revenue stream.
I've done more digging and follow me on this one if you would.
After a Quick Google Wirral Council Littering

Wirral Council Press Release Pages Click me
In summary the Notifications for the Public.

Litter louts will be hit with tougher fines from April 1 Click Me
Ive never see 10,000 tones of Cigarette butts, so at first glance this is revenue again, as there are 2,000 flytipping incidents a year.

So the Fines is increased (See below) and the early payment is less. Previously £75 - £25 = £50 Early Payment. Now £80 - £20 = £60 Early Payment. Fine goes up, and early payment goes down.

Wonderful but failing to mention that the Early payment is reducing until you get to the bottom of the page.

So Far Nothing about Cigarette butts and the more balanced opinion of littering in my vue, Fly tipping alley ways etc




139 fined on first two days of dedicated litter patrol Click Me

No Cigarette butts mentioned. As there top priority !!

So if your reporting hot spots there following the money trail. But no mention of cigarettes again. . . .

And its not all bad, because after the councils announcements about tackling littering they post the following headline
Wirral parks are the best in the North West Click me

I'm so confused about what the council is actutally saying to us, we have the worst litter caused by smokers dropping cigarette butts or we have the best parks. . .

And Finally folks as my rant comes to a close lol
I have managed to find a page on the wirral councils web sie about cigarette butts. And the clarification is all too clear now as its on the same page on how to pay your fine !! Click me

You know we get letters from the council if there is an election or councillor change, but they don't choose to inform us of the £80 fine for the following

It is a crime to drop and leave any form of litter including:

fast food wrappers and packaging
chewing gum
cigarette butts and other smoking related products
flyers left on windscreens

** Flyers left on screens ?
Is that a flyer blowing off or someone putting a flyer on my car ??

O well its off my chest now ish. . . .

What I find interesting is that carrier bags - which are supposed to be such a menace the gov. is soon going to force supermarkets to charge us 5p for them - are not mentioned anywhere here.

I think carrier bags are a fairly minor nuisance. There are far more squashed aluminium drinks cans or empty fizzy drinks bottles, as well as discarded food containers about than there are carrier bags.

Thanks Mark--I also feel better for you getting that off your chest.

Would be interesting for some rich dude to take it to court to define "litter" as has been said what about the ash from the cigarette or cigar flicked on the floor. Think I read a solicitor said that putting a butt down the grid does not constitute littering.

Did someone mention about feeding the ducks-usually load of uneaten bread scattered around.

As a slight counter to the butt vs fly tipping, I know of about 12 small sites that are frequent fly-tipping locations whereas I know miles and miles of roads that cigarette butts are dropped on regularly. It costs more to clean miles of streets on a regular basis than a small number of fly-tipping areas on an occasional basis.

Smokers drop butts more often than they (or other people) drop litter is a way of looking at the butt vs litter aspect.

Either way, the message is getting across, drop litter and you can (quite rightly) be fined.

The solution to the fast food waste problem is quite simple, make the fast-food places label all their wrapping and charge them for the amount that ends up on the street.

Despite McDonalds saying they regularly empty their bins and do their best, the number of times I find their bins full says otherwise. Having watched the staff at Rock Park, I don't think they are allowed to empty their bins unless they are full to the brim.

I'm reading as this is a civil matter you do not have to give any details to the enforcement officer ? Like a Private parking ticket its civil. And when do you actually agree you accept the bylaw if there is no signage of fair warning.
I'm not sure if any of that above is fact or just fiction.

Its wide open now.

is a bin man going to be fined £80 if the rubbish from the wagon blows or spills out ??

Is there an Exemption list.

This could go on and on. . ..


There was a comment on the globe website from a reader saying in there area, they watch the wardens ignoring people dropping litter and target the smokers as its easy money. . . .

Its both Civil and Criminal, the criminal law allows a civil fixed penalty notice as an alternative, however if the recipient chooses not to pay the fpn then that is their choice.

I'd love to know what percentage of these fines actually get paid.

Just incase you may think putting the ciggy butt down the gutter is ok !!

Be aware !!
£75 for putting cigarette stub down a GRID Click me

And obviously this now covers chewing gum.

The Fag Police were on the prowl in the Cherry Tree carpark, just before. Leaning nonchalantly against the wall, watching me smoke. As I was finishing he hot- footed it over only to be disappointed as I stubbed it out in my Love Wirral Stub It pouch.

Obviously a huge litter problem that car park.
And a scene of outstanding beauty lol.

I would love to play slight of hand with them.

What usually works is if you start filming them --but not covertly like they do. More in their face or at least a respectable distance and post up on youtube.. Although it might be difficult if filming from the car park as its private property-

The value of videoing in this TV Licence Search
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4QnFwLqCQ24

or excellent scam documentary
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mQeKy1v-R-I

I hope this Guy does appeal, the whole process stinks. If your caught speeding you can go on a speed awareness course. Education notices and fair warning. I hope this back fires on the council and common sense sees sense. Sinage, to say in this area. The now 95k in fines is targeting smokers regardless of what the council says.

Click me Source