HOUSEHOLDERS whose rubbish ends up being fly-tipped face fines of up to £400 under hard-hitting proposals to be discussed by Sandwell Council’s cabinet next week.

Councillors are being asked to approve plans to issue fixed penalty notices (FPN) to residents if who can’t prove they used a licenced disposal company when their household waste is illegally dumped.

The move will give extra powers to council officers to tackle an average 100 reports of fly-tipping in the borough every week. 

Examinations of waste show approximately half contain personal paperwork with address details showing where the rubbish originally came from. 

A report to the cabinet shows there are 250 cases every year where residents paid for their waste to be disposed but have no receipts or paperwork which can identify the company they used.

Neil Cox, Director of Prevention & Protection, in a report to the cabinet said : “Currently, if the service cannot clearly evidence that the householder was responsible for the actual act of the fly-tipping, it is not possible to issue a FPN.”

Under the new powers, residents will have now have to pay the fine if they can’t prove they used a licenced waste disposal firm.

In his report, Mr Cox urges a tough approach to the problem, saying:  “Guidance provided by Central Government allows a maximum fine of £400 for this offence and a minimum level of £200. 

“It is proposed that Sandwell adopts the maximum level of fine to act as a deterrent to occupiers of domestic properties who do not take all reasonable measures to ensure that they only transfer household waste to an authorised person.” 

The fines are expected to reduce the number of door-to-door callers who charge to take away rubbish but then fly-tip it to avoid charges.

The report will be discussed at Sandwell cabinet’s meeting on January 8.