Dacorum council prosecutes 9 people for failing to pay fixed penalty notices

Nine people were found guilty at East Berkshire Magistrates Court on March 21 for offences of littering and breaches of the council’s Public Space Protection Orders (PSPOs).

One defendant pleaded guilty and eight others were found guilty by a magistrate. In total, the defendants were made to pay fines of £880, costs of £800 and victim costs of £294.

Dacorum Borough Council says that since November last year it has increased its commitment to making Dacorum a cleaner and safer place to be by partnering with District Enforcement, a company that specialises in environmental enforcement.

The company is said to be patrolling the borough seven days a week and are issuing on-the-spot FPNs of £80 if people are littering, failing to clean up after their dog or breaching PSPOs.

Cllr Julie Banks, Dacorum Borough Council Portfolio Holder for Community and Regulatory Services, said: “The enforcement of our PSPOs was introduced to make Dacorum a cleaner and safer place for people to be proud of where they live, work and visit.”

She added: “This first successful prosecution is important in showing residents and members of the public that we will follow up on all unpaid fines by taking action for non-payment through the courts.”

People who have received an FPN who are currently in financial difficulty are able to visit the Dacorum Borough Council’s District Enforcement webpage for more information.