Early payment discounts on fines for people caught fly-tipping and littering in Peterborough are scrapped

Peterborough City Council says people caught committing environmental offences will now have to pay the full £80 for a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) regardless of when they pay the fine.

This is after the authority decided an early repayment option, which reduces the penalty to £60 if paid within the 21 days of the ticket being issued, should be removed.

The council said: “This recognises how seriously the council views this type of environmental crime and will act as a strong deterrent.

“This forms part of our work to try and reduce the incidents of environmental crime across the city and links with the council’s priority to improve residents’ quality of life by protecting our communities.”

Other offences which will now see all perpetrators have to cough up £80 are:

. Dog control offences

. Spraying graffiti

. Fly-posting

. Nuisance parking (people selling or repairing cars on the road)

. Abandoned vehicles

. Leafleting without permission on land where leafleting is restricted (‘designated land’)

. Failing to nominate a key holder or give the council key holder details in an alarm notification area

. Failing to provide a waste carrier licence (for businesses transporting their own waste)

. Failing to provide a waste transfer note when moving non-hazardous waste.

People who do not pay the fine will be prosecuted, according to the council.

It added: “Holding people accountable for environmental crime can be difficult.

“Where sufficient evidence does exist, optimising the sanctions available to the council sends a very clear message to those who have, and those who might, commit environmental crime.

“It is anticipated, for these reasons, that environmental crime will decrease as a result and will support our efforts to improve the quality of life for people living, working and visiting Peterborough.”