Folkestone & Hythe residents and visitors are being warned: blight the environment, and you’ll pay the price. Starting Tuesday, April 1st, Folkestone & Hythe District Council is implementing significantly increased Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) for fly-tipping and littering, aiming to deter environmental damage and hold offenders accountable.
The new fines, set out under environmental legislation, will see fly-tippers facing penalties of up to £1,000 for major incidents, while littering will incur fines of up to £200. Crucially, those who fail their “duty of care” when disposing of waste, particularly when paying others to do so, will also face steeper sanctions.
The council has detailed the new FPN structure:
- Fly-tipping:
- Major Incident: £1,000 (reduced to £500 if paid within 10 days)
- Minor Incident: £500 (reduced to £300 if paid within 10 days)
- Littering:
- Major Incident: £200 (reduced to £150 if paid within 10 days)
- Minor Incident: £150 (reduced to £100 if paid within 10 days)
- Duty of Care:
- Commercial: £500 (reduced to £300 if paid within 10 days)
- Domestic: £200 (reduced to £150 if paid within 10 days)
A council spokesperson emphasized the seriousness of the issue, stating,
“Put simply, there is no excuse for dumping rubbish. These increased FPNs should make people think twice about damaging our environment and being inconsiderate to fellow residents.”
The level of the incident, and thus the fine, will be determined by factors such as the size of the waste, its content, the impact on the area, health and safety risks, and the location. The council also stressed that this is not a revenue-raising exercise, and that collected funds will be specifically used for environmental enforcement, waste disposal, and land restoration. To encourage swift payment, early payment discount options have been put into place.
Residents are urged to report any instances of fly-tipping, providing evidence such as dashcam footage, video doorbell recordings, or eyewitness accounts, to the council for investigation and cleanup.
For clarification on duty of care responsibilities, residents can contact the council’s environmental services via email at environmental.services@folkestone-hythe.gov.uk or by calling 01303 853660.