Fines for anyone caught fly-tipping are set to more than double, after Barking and Dagenham Council agreed a host of new, tougher penalties to combat enviro crime.

Offenders will have to fork out £400 – the maximum allowed under current legislation – an increase of 166 per cent on the present charge of £150, and with no early repayment discount being offered. 

Anyone caught littering will also face a stiffer fine, with the penalty increasing from £75 to £150.

The new fly-tipping and littering fines came into effect on Monday 3 June. 

There will also be tougher penalties for businesses that fail to store their bins correctly and a new charge for premises that require food hygiene re-inspections.

"We believe these tougher fines will be an even greater deterrent to those who break the rules. This is about saying enviro crime isn’t acceptable.”

Councillor Margaret Mullane, Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, said: “We’ve been running our Wall of Shame for months now and taking a tougher stance on grime crime, and although we are tidying up parts of the borough sometimes you have to hit people where it hurts – in their wallet. 

“This isn’t a money-making scheme for the council, we believe these tougher fines will be an even greater deterrent to those who break the rules. This is about saying enviro crime isn’t acceptable.”

The council issues around 150 fixed penalty notices each month, with around 70 per cent being settled without further action required. 

Last year, the council recovered more than £230,000 in fines against enviro crimes.

Visit our Wall of Shame page and help catch the culprits cluttering the borough’s streets.