Fly-tipping: Slough
The question
To ask the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, what recent steps have been taken alongside relevant stakeholders to tackle flytipping in the constituency of Slough.
Answered by Mary Creagh
Local authorities are responsible for clearing litter and refuse from their land. They have powers to take enforcement action against offenders. Anyone caught fly-tipping may be prosecuted which can lead to a significant fine, a community sentence or even imprisonment.
Instead of prosecuting, local councils can choose to issue a fixed penalty notice (on-the-spot fine) of up to £1,000 to fly-tippers. Councils also have powers to seize and search vehicles of suspected fly-tippers. Following successful prosecution, the court can order that ownership rights of the vehicle used in the fly-tipping offence be granted to the council that brought forward the proceedings. As a result local councils are permitted to keep, sell or dispose of the vehicle provided certain conditions have been fulfilled.
We have secured powers in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 to issue We have obtained powers in the Crime and Policing Act 2026 to provide statutory fly-tipping enforcement guidance to support local authorities to consistently, appropriately and effectively exercise these existing powers.
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