Sponsored by
Tougher sentences for fly tipping - have your say
Hot on the heels of the district council’s announcement of a new green waste charge, the British public are being asked for their views on sentences for fly tipping.
Today (March 14), the Sentencing Council published draft sentencing guidelines for ‘environmental offenders’, asking for people’s views.
The final version will be given to magistrates’ courts to help courts across the country to take a consistent approach when sentencing people or companies for offences like fly tipping and creating noise or smoke pollution.
The draft guidelines say that magistrates should be more willing to impose heavy fines for the more serious offences.
A statement from the Sentencing Council said: “The Sentencing Council is proposing that magistrates make more use of the highest
levels of fines available to them which is expected to increase fines for those that cause the most damage or risk to health. “This is likely to include corporate offenders.
“The guideline covers a wide variety of offences related to the disposal of waste and rubbish mostly covered by the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2010.
“This includes fly-tipping, whether this is a company dumping a lorry-load of used tyres or someone leaving an old mattress in an alleyway.
“It also covers offences where a company or individuals have not handled or disposed of waste properly.
“Other areas covered include nuisance offenders who cause noise, smoke, dust or smells, or run premises which pose a health or pollution risk.”
The consultation runs until June 6. For more details, or to take part, visit www.sentencingcouncil.org.uk
Since Horsham District Council’s green waste charge was announced, there has been widespread speculation on social media that there might be an increase in the level of fly tipping. What do you think? Log in to comment below, or send your thoughts to ct.news@sussexnewspapers.co.uk
Email to a friend
Print this page
Looking for...
Featured advertisers
Jobs
Search for a job
Motors
Search for a car
Property
Search for a house
Weather for Horsham
Saturday 18 May 2013
Today
Cloudy
Temperature: 8 C to 17 C
Wind Speed: 12 mph
Wind direction: West
Tomorrow
Light showers
Temperature: 9 C to 16 C
Wind Speed: 10 mph
Wind direction: North east
