New guidance for councils to fight litter

Councils in England have been given updated guidance and stronger legal powers to clamp down on litter louts.

The updated guidance has been put on statutory footing, meaning local authorities will have a legal duty to follow it.

Under the new rules, councils will have the power to issue on-the-spot fines of up to £500 for littering, including when litter is thrown from a vehicle. Unpaid fines will double after 28 days.

The guidance says that enforcement should be proportionate, so resources can be focussed on the worst offenders.

Circular Economy Minister Mary Creagh said: "Once again, hundreds of thousands of volunteers across the county will be setting off to their local parks, streets and beaches for the Great British Spring Clean next week – and they deserve our thanks for looking after our community spaces. 

"But we must stop litter louts from spoiling them in the first place, which is why we are giving local authorities clear legal powers to take action.  

"Councils across the country will now take the same tough approach on litterers and ensure they are being brought to justice."

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, Chief Executive of environmental charity Keep Britain Tidy, said: "As we gear up for this year’s Great British Spring Clean, we are delighted that the government has recognised the importance of ‘turning off the tap’ of litter that blights communities up and down the country and pollutes our environment."