Increased fines in Telford for fly-tipping

The fine for fly-tipping in Telford has been increased in a council crackdown on illegally-dumped waste.

Telford and Wrekin Council said feedback from residents suggested its £200 early-payment charge for wrongdoers was too small a deterrent.

From the start of February, the sum has gone up to £350, if paid within 10 days of a fine being issued.

The council said in the past 12 months it had investigated about 3,500 incidents of fly-tipping.

In that time, it issued 138 fixed penalty notices and more than 270 warning letters.

The government has set the maximum amount for fly-tipping fixed penalty notices at £400, but larger fines may be issued if a case is taken to court.

The council said it had asked the government to increase the fixed penalty notice limit.

Richard Overton, the councillor responsible for enforcement, said the authority had also introduced further discounts for bulk waste collections, "so there is no excuse for fly-tipping".

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