Over 1,600 fines handed out to litterers since litter wardens launched

Over 1,600 Fixed Penalty Notices have been handed out to offenders since the Council's new litter wardens started work.

The 5 litter wardens, who started in January, have the power to issue warnings and on-the-spot fines to offenders who drop rubbish.

Over 60 notices were issued on day one of the wardens patrolling the city.

The Council is cracking down on littering and fly-tipping across the borough, having already:

• - Fitted 73 new dual bins and 19 solar powered smart bins across the city.
• - Installed CCTV in fly-tipping hotspots, rates of which have now fallen to their lowest in 4 years.
• - Introduced same day booking at the tips, as well as the option to reschedule bookings, making it easier than ever to properly dispose of waste.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Paul Trendall, Cabinet Member for Customer Services, added: "Littering is anti-social, dangerous and harmful to our local wildlife and environment. It is also a huge cost to the Council, which spends around £3.5 million each year cleaning the borough. This money could be spent on other essential services if offenders took the simple step of not throwing their rubbish on the floor."

"We want to keep Milton Keynes clean, green and safe, and this clamp down on littering and fly-tipping will help us achieve that."

Labour Councillor Lauren Townsend, Cabinet Member for Public Realm, said: "We take a zero-tolerance approach when it comes to littering in Milton Keynes, and these fines show that. Nobody is above the law - if you litter in Milton Keynes, you can expect a fine."