Bolton Council cracks down on fly tips, handing out over £2k of fines

The penalties, two for fly-tipping and three for littering, totalled £2,100 following offences committed in the Gilnow area - which runs between Deane and Heaton - in just one day.

This comes after the council announced there would be a rise in litter-related fines last month. 

The fines for littering were raised from £150 to £300 and from £400 to £600 for fly-tipping. 

The fines for those who fail their duty of care for household waste also rose from £400 to £600.

Cllr Sue Haworth, Executive Member for Regulatory Services said: “Officers with powers, working on the front line every day, issue these fixed penalty notice fines. Residents have repeatedly said that clean streets are a priority so we have increased these fines to deter offenders.

"We are determined in particular to combat fly-tipping hotspots and we will continue to crackdown on the senseless littering of food packaging, cans, cartons and gum on our streets. 

Rubbish in the Gilnow area (Image: Bolton Council)

“Residents sometimes hire removal companies or persons to deal with waste. We need the companies hired to be licensed and responsible and we want residents to dodge the rogue traders. 

Read more: Investigation to identify fly-tippers responsible for two foot rubbish tip 

Read more: Fly-tipping in Bolton is at a record high as shocking figures released

"I’ve seen a rogue trader myself pull up in a parking spot and empty the contents of a small van on to the pavement in broad daylight. It’s completely horrendous. If residents are found to have hired rogue traders, there’s a fine for it and it’s been increased.” 

As part of the measures, the council also raised the maximum rate for discounted fines from £150 to £175 for littering, £300 to £450 for fly-tipping and £300 to £450 for waste duty of care. 

Cllr Haworth added: “Whenever the council cleans up litter or fly tips it’s taxpayers' money we wish we didn’t have to spend. Working in neighbourhoods council officers do fine work to bring about behaviour change.

"In addition, we need more severe fines to get this problem under control. We will not hesitate to ratchet up enforcement until cleaner neighbourhoods are achieved.” 

This comes after the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs figures showed in January that Bolton had been blighted by a record number of fly-tipping incidents last year.

These figures showed there were 5,883 fly-tipping incidents in Bolton in the year to March 2023 a sharp rise from 1,184 in 2021-22 and the highest figure since records began in 2012-13.