Offences and fines

We can fine or prosecute you if you are caught:

• dropping litter
• not picking up after your dog fouls
• dropping chewing gum
• fly-tipping
• spraying/painting graffiti

 

Litter 

It is a criminal offence to drop litter on the street or in a public area. If you are caught dropping litter then you may be given a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). Litter can be defined as anything that you drop in these areas from cigarette butts to a rubbish bag. The penalty amount is £200 which must be paid within 14 days from the issue date. If you do not pay the penalty then you could end up in Magistrates’ Court where you could get a fine of up to £2,500 and a criminal record.

 

Chewing gum

Chewing gum is extremely difficult and expensive to remove. Chewing gum counts as litter and therefore you can be fined and prosecuted if caught dropping it.

You can dispose of your gum using:

• gum targets
• litter bins
• or wrap it up and take it home with you

Gum targets, currently a selection of emojis, are typically found in areas where there are a lot of people. You can find them in:

•  Ilford Town Centre
• Barkingside High Street
• Manford Way, Hainault

We encourage you to stick your chewing gum on these targets which are usually attached to lamp posts. We try to select areas where there is a high number of people. If you would like to suggest an area that will benefit from gum targets then please contact us on 020 8554 5000.

 

Fly tipping

Fly-tipping is where rubbish has been dumped onto any land without permission. It is an offence and anyone caught doing it may be liable for prosecution. If you know of anyone or witness an incident of fly tipping, you can help us take action and let us know by filling in our online report it form or by calling our Customer Contact Centre on 020 8554 5000.

 

Graffiti

If you see graffiti on any public street, area or park you can report it to us us and we will remove it within 3 working days. Any graffiti that is racist or homophobic is always prioritised with an aim to get it removed within 24 hours.

If someone is caught painting graffiti they can be prosecuted. If you have graffiti on your property, whether private or business then we can remove it but you could be charged depending on the nature of the graffiti.

If you would like to report any graffiti to us, you can do so by filling in our online report it form or by calling our Customer Contact Centre on 020 8554 5000.

 

Spitting

We want to discourage spitting as it is a disgusting habit and is often thought to have a number of potential health implications.

Spitting is an offence within certain areas of Redbridge, which are covered by the relevant Public Space Protection Order (PSPO) such as for the Ilford Town Centre area. Under this PSPO which is live covering Ilford Town, Valentines, Clementswood, Loxford, Barkingside and Cranbrook wards, it is an offence to spit, offenders may be issued a fine of £100 through a fixed penalty notice.

If you do not pay the penalty then you could end up in Magistrates’ Court where you could get a fine of up to £1,000.

 

Pay a Fixed Penalty Notice

You can pay a fixed penalty notice online or by check. Visit our FPN page for more information and how to pay.