Environmental Enforcement FAQs

Environmental enforcement means issuing penalties for environmental crimes. These penalties are called Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs).

Environmental crime means dog fouling, fly-tipping, littering and any other action which harms the environment.

Hastings Borough Council take environmental crime seriously. Why? Because we want Hastings to be a pleasant place for our residents and those that come here for work or leisure.

We know that you do too. That is why we work hard to keep the town tidy and clean. Part of this work unfortunately involves enforcement.

Environmental enforcement is necessary because environmental crime continues to happen across the borough. We keep getting complaints about environmental crime and so we have to take a tough stance against it.

We have a legal duty (so far as is practicable) to clear litter and refuse from public places that we are responsible for such as streets, parks, playgrounds and pedestrian areas. If a piece of private land is littered, the owner must accept responsibility for clearing the litter.

Since the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 became law, measures have been introduced enabling local authorities to issue FPNs to anyone committing an environmental crime that damages the local environment.

We enforce by issuing Fixed Penalty Notices to those committing environmental crimes in the borough. FPNs are issued for the offences of dropping litter. This includes items such as chewing gum, cigarette butts and fast food and other forms of litter such as wrapping. It also includes failing to pick up after your dog or not disposing of the dog litter in the correct way.

The FPNs we issue for those caught dropping litter are £80. The FPNs we issue for those not picking up after their dog are £100. There is no reduction for early payment.

Wardens

Enforcement is carried out by uniformed council enforcement officers (wardens). These wardens have the power to issue FPNs. They operate around the borough.  

Enforcement is more than penalising environmental crimes after they have happened. It is also about preventing them from happening.

We have run a number of publicity campaigns to tackle the issue of environmental crime. More recently we have introduced two new Public Space Protection Orders to deal with dog fouling and other forms of anti-social behaviour.

You can help us keep Hastings clean and tidy by reporting these problems to us when you notice them.

We have built an online form which allows anyone with an internet connection to report instances of littering, dog fouling, fly tipping and other issues quickly and easily, 24 hours a day, 7 days a week.