People caught fly tipping in Watford are set to receive an increased fine.

Watford Borough Council’s Cabinet approved a proposal last night which will see the fixed penalty notice for small scale fly tipping increase to £300 from the current level of £200.

Prompt payment within 10 days reduces the fine to £150.

Deputy Mayor and cllr Peter Taylor believes the scheme will deter people from “dumping their rubbish in our streets and open spaces”.

He said: “The message is clear, fly tipping is an offence and we will take immediate action against people who think they can get away with it.

“Our residents are really concerned when they see dumped rubbish polluting our communities. It harms our environment, attracts vermin and can be a health hazard. We all end up paying for it to be cleaned up.

“Most people who receive a fixed penalty notice do not re-offend, and this is good news for Watford. It shows that our approach of combining education, information and enforcement does get results.”

Advice on getting rid of household waste in Watford is available from the council’s environmental services partner, Veolia, at enquiries.watford@veolia.co.uk

For more information, visit: watford.gov.uk/flytipping.