Fines for fly-tipping in a South West London borough could increase by £600 under new plans to clean up its streets. Richmond Council has unveiled the proposals after slamming fly-tipping as a nuisance which makes an area look "ugly and rundown".

In a new report, council officers put forward proposals to increase the maximum penalty for fly-tipping offences from £400 to £1,000 – slashed to £500 if paid in 10 days.

Fly-tipping is the illegal deposit of any waste on land that does not have a licence to accept it.

It comes after the government increased the maximum amount those caught fly-tipping could be fined from £400 to £1,000 in July last year.

It also raised the maximum penalty for littering from £150 to £500.

The council can hand out formal warnings and fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping and littering offences.

The report said the authority carried out 1,620 of these enforcement actions in response to fly-tipping and littering in 2022/23, compared to 1,336 in 2020/21. It added it plans to "build on this progress" in the coming year.

Officers are not proposing to increase the maximum penalty for littering, however, to avoid facing a greater number of unpaid fines.

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The maximum amount those caught littering in Richmond could be fined will remain at £150, cut to £100 if paid in 10 days.

The report said fly-tipping is "suited to a much higher penalty" as it can be seen as a "more deliberate act".

It said the proposed increase would act as an "increased deterrent to prospective fly-tippers and any activities that can reduce the incidences of littering and fly-tipping within the borough would likely have the consequential effect of reducing costs to the council".

The report added: "Fly-tipping a mattress, electrical items or a bin bag full of rubbish in the street causes a local nuisance and makes an area look ugly and rundown.

At the larger end of the scale fly-tipping can involve several truckloads of construction and demolition waste being tipped on different types of land."

It continued: "Reducing fly-tipping and littering and ensuring Richmond's streets are clean, green, and safe, are key priorities for the council.

"Fly-tipping and littering are currently one of the biggest problems facing local authorities across the country and are complex social issues."

The council's environment committee will vote on the proposals on January 16.

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