Litter: Enforcement
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, with reference to her Department’s press release entitled Clearer rules to support councils in fight against litter louts, published on 3 March 2026, what guidance her Department has issued to local authorities on the use of private enforcement companies in relation to littering offences.
Answered by Mary Creagh
The ‘Litter enforcement powers – when and how to use them’ states that in no circumstances should enforcement be considered a means to raise revenue. In addition, it is crucial that councils are transparent about why a fixed penalty has been issued and they must be satisfied that the fixed penalty notice in question is appropriate and proportionate to the circumstances. Any perception that enforcement activity is being used intentionally to generate income is likely to undermine the legitimacy of the enforcement regime in the eyes of the local community, which may diminish the deterrent effect.
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