Merton council is cracking down on litter louts
Wimbledon resident Daniel Grigsby faces fines of £1,010 after being caught dropping a cigarette butt.
Grigsby threw and left a cigarette butt on Christchurch Road in Colliers Wood in June, Lavender Hill Magistrates’ Court heard last week.
Having not paid the original penalty of £75, he was fined £600 and ordered to pay Merton council's costs of £350 and the victim surcharge of £60.
The total sum of £1,010 is payable within 28 days and in the event Grigsby fails to pay, the court can instruct its own bailiffs to enforce the order.
This action is part of Merton council's new pro-clean streets campaign. Anyone caught dropping litter is automatically fined £75 which, if paid within 10 days, is reduced to £50.
Merton's enforcement officers will be patrolling the borough's streets on the look out for people dropping litter. Since March 2013, it has issued 225 fines for littering offences in total.
Cabinet member for environmental cleanliness and parking, Councillor Judy Saunders, said: "We spend so much money every year clearing up after people who drop litter – money we would rather plough into recycling and other environmental initiatives within the borough.
"Merton residents want to live in a clean borough and we will not tolerate the small minority of people who drop litter on our streets. Anyone who is caught doing this should expect a fine. ”
Merton's new anti-litter code can be viewed by visiting www.merton.gov.uk/anti-littercode.
January 13, 2014