Fixed penalty notice re. litter

[123bernadett]

Today I was followed into my workplace(a major retailer) by a council enforcement officer for dropping a cigarette end.He issued me with a caution and read the blurb about anything I say etc and then issued a fpn.This was all done in full view of customers and staff and left me feeling very uncomfortable.I admit I shouldn't have put the cigarette on the ground but there are no bins around.My question is can they follow me into my workplace and cause me considerable embarrassment?

[bravejordy]

Bernadette, I agree, I think you should pay the fine. Not because I feel you've committed the crime of the century or anything, but my lad got fined £60 about four years ago for a similar misdemeanour. Being stubborn, he refused to pay and soon it was doubled and then tripled. Eventually he paid it but only when a bailiff paid us a visit and by which time it was well over £300 with other costs added. So my advice to you would be pay it before they start piling more costs on top and just put it down to a lesson in life.

[Nini74]

pay the fine and when you send the payment, send in a formal complaint about the fact that you were followed into your workplace before being approached about the offence. Explain that you concede that you unlawfully littered and are therefore agreeabe to pay the penalty, but that the embarassment caused to you in work was unnecessary and you could just have easily have been approached outside. I doubt this will do anything other than make you feel a bit better about it. Unfortunately, at the end of the day - all us smokers will have dropped a butt sometime or other, but it doesn't make it righ and I suppose when we ge caught, we have to pay the price. Think i'll invest in one of those pocket ashtrays! pay the fine though - will cause you far more problems if you don't!

[ojread2]

lets just hope OP you were embarrassed enough to not do it again
Just because you wish to smell like an astray does not mean the rest of the populous want the streets to smell like one too. The amount of smokers who do this is beyond counting and it is disgusting
I'm not bothered you were embarrassed, in fact I'm glad you were and the more people who are fined for littering the better

[flip_flop]

Give any halfwit a uniform and they drunk on their power.

I'm interested in the mechanics of how this actually works. With a parking fine the registration number is on a database so the car's owner is identifiable - but individuals are not readilly identifiable unless an indentity is given.

So, when a fixed penalty notice for littering is given, are you required to pay 'on the spot' or do you have to give your name and address for them to send the penalty to your home address?

If the latter, personally I'd tell them to p i s s off. In fact, if the former I'd also tell them to p i s s off.

[sara3]

flip_flop, you think it's okay to litter?

you'd be happy to see rubbish all over the streets?

[Old_Geezer]

Whilst no fan of councils abusing power to demand money of individuals, I have to say that the need to discourage littering removes any objection I might have had to what occurred. As long as these folk distinguish between accidental and deliberate littering then I think in this situation, they have my support, regardless where they caught the perpetrator. Although I agree a little training should have informed them to tackle the issue immediately not allow the individual walk on just to catch them in a more embarrassing situation. Maybe a complaint on how the duties are performed may be in order, not that I'd hold my breath on it being taken into consideration.

[flip_flop]

I didn't say it was OK to litter. In fact, I don't think there is any excuse to litter. If there are no cigarette bins available, there are always other bins - a cigarette can be stubbed out on the side of a bin and then deposited on the bin.

But I do get irriated that cretins are given a uniform and are given the power to fine people.

Therefore, if ever I was in the position where I was approached by one of these morons - which would be unlikely because I don't litter - I would tell them to get stuffed.

What would you do in the bus ticket sceanrio?

Would you pay?

[sara3]

yeah, let's not move away from the fact that the OP littered. the bus ticket scenario is not the same thing at all.

she got caught this time, but I doubt that was her first littering offence.. just the first time she got caught. I wonder how many hundreds or thousands of fag ends are dropped in the street every day....

[flip_flop]

Granted its not the same, but it does demonstrate that there are overzealous litter police who either can't or won't demonstrate common sense and therefore I believe it is fundamentally wrong to give these people the power to fine.

Educate, chastise, report the litterer - but not fine.

[ummmm]

Obviously the 'keep Britain tidy' campaign didn't work. So they've had to get harsher. And rightly so.

[DrFilth]

from tameside council website

if you drop your dimp in droylsden they will not even get the money from the fine

>> Financial Implications

There will be the initial advertising costs associated with implementing the new Order (approximately £1,000) together with the costs required for the signage needed throughout the Borough advising of the offences (approximately £10,000) - all of which needs to be met from the existing community safety budget. It should be noticed that the Fixed Penalties collected, namely £50, are payable to the Secretary of State and does not form part of Council Income.

(Authorised by Borough Treasurer)
Legal Implications <<

[bobby554]

What is it with smokers? I once saw a woman throw down a but end in order to slap her son for dropping a sweet wrapper! Keep your dirty habit to yourselves and nobody will have to follow you anywhere. IT'S YOUR OWN FAULT.

[DrFilth]

>> What is it with smokers? <<

well st bobby some smokers will be like some drinkers who just chucked their empty bottle anywhere
they maybe like some who just chuck their chippy or burger wrapper down in the street
they maybe like some dog owner who lets his dog drop a great big splogger on the pavement

if you had to choose which to get off the bottom of your shoe which would it be st bobby

dimp from last night
broken glass
parts of kebab
big lump of sh1te

[Skyline D]

So anyway, back to the point of the question. Yes, I'd imagine they can follow you into your place of work provided that place is open to the public rather than a private office / factory. Obviously they would need permission if that were the case. As yours is a retailer then they can do so legally.

[DTCwordfan]

Smoking does not pay - in more ways than one, evidently.

[dzug2]

>>these little hitlers show how giving a little power to a amoeba brained prat goes to his/her head>>

What about amoeba brained prats that go around dropping fag ends and other litter and have caused major fires/loss of life and think they haven't done (much) wrong?

Not getting at OP in particular but the idiot responses of some posters.