No ifs or butts - fines enforced for littering in Rochdale

Three more local residents have been fined in connection with littering and fly-tipping offences. One woman ended up being fined a total of £658 for discarding a cigarette butt.

The three were at Manchester & Salford Magistrates’ Court on Friday 9 April for offences contrary to the Environmental Protection Act (1990).

Chloe Lluch, 23, of Littleborough, had been witnessed throwing away a cigarette end on Yorkshire Street, Rochdale by a council town centre enforcement warden and had been offered a fixed penalty notice but failed to pay it.

Karla Pokutova, 27, of Rochdale, had previously admitted depositing one bag of waste on the highway at Suffolk Street, Rochdale, She too was offered a fixed penalty notice but failed to pay it.

Both residents failed to attend court and were found guilty of the offence of littering in their absence – each receiving fines of £330 and being ordered to pay costs (£295 and £285 respectively) plus a victim surcharge of £33.

John Tunney, 49, of Rochdale, pleaded guilty to fly-tipping bags of waste to the rear of Belfield Lane. He was offered a fixed penalty notice but failed to pay so was fined £150 and ordered to pay a £100 costs contribution and a £32 victim surcharge.

 

 

Mark Widdup, director of neighbourhoods at Rochdale Borough Council, said: “Littering no matter how small is just not acceptable. Everyone must take responsibility of their own waste and we thank those who help us crack down on residents who simply have no regard in keeping our borough safe and tidy.

“We are making headway in tackling those who dump waste, including a wider project that will see additional CCTV cameras installed across the borough; plus trials on solar bins that compact waste to allow more room to accept litter. However, the onus must be on residents to not dump waste - either put it in the bin; take it home or to one of the local household waste recycling centres.”

A further seven people failed to attend court - warrants without bail were issued in respect of each of them.

If you have any information about fly-tipping; littering or those responsible, please report it at rochdale.gov.uk/flytipping or by calling 0300 303 8884.

Information about how to dispose of larger bulky waste and the locations of recycling centres can be found at rochdale.gov.uk/recycling