Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005

48 Offences relating to waste receptacles: fixed penalty notices

In the Environmental Protection Act 1990, after section 47 (receptacles for commercial or industrial waste) insert—

“47ZA Fixed penalty notices for offences under sections 46 and 47

(1) This section applies where on any occasion an authorised officer of a waste collection authority has reason to believe that a person has committed an offence under section 46 or 47 above in the area of that authority.

(2) The authorised officer may give that person a notice offering him the opportunity of discharging any liability to conviction for the offence by payment of a fixed penalty to the waste collection authority.

(3) Where a person is given a notice under this section in respect of an offence—

(a) no proceedings may be instituted for that offence before the expiration of the period of fourteen days following the date of the notice; and

(b) he may not be convicted of that offence if he pays the fixed penalty before the expiration of that period.

(4) A notice under this section must give such particulars of the circumstances alleged to constitute the offence as are necessary for giving reasonable information of the offence.

(5) A notice under this section must also state—

(a) the period during which, by virtue of subsection (3) above, proceedings will not be taken for the offence;

(b) the amount of the fixed penalty; and

(c) the person to whom and the address at which the fixed penalty may be paid.

(6) Without prejudice to payment by any other method, payment of the fixed penalty may be made by pre-paying and posting a letter containing the amount of the penalty (in cash or otherwise) to the person mentioned in subsection (5)(c) above at the address so mentioned.

(7) Where a letter is sent in accordance with subsection (6) above payment is to be regarded as having been made at the time at which that letter would be delivered in the ordinary course of post.

(8) The form of a notice under this section is to be such as the appropriate person may by order prescribe.

(9) In any proceedings a certificate which—

(a) purports to be signed on behalf of the chief finance officer of the waste collection authority, and

(b) states that payment of a fixed penalty was or was not received by a date specified in the certificate,

is evidence of the facts stated.

(10) In this section—

• “authorised officer”, in relation to a waste collection authority, means—

  (a)

  an employee of the authority who is authorised in writing by the authority for the purposes of giving notices under this section;

  (b)

  any person who, in pursuance of arrangements made with the authority, has the function of giving such notices and is authorised in writing by the authority to perform that function;

  (c)

  any employee of such a person who is authorised in writing by the authority for the purpose of giving such notices;

• “chief finance officer”, in relation to a waste collection authority, means the person having responsibility for the financial affairs of the authority.

47ZB Amount of fixed penalty under section 47ZA

(1) This section applies in relation to a fixed penalty payable to a waste collection authority in pursuance of a notice under section 47ZA above.

(2) The amount of the fixed penalty—

(a) is the amount specified by the waste collection authority in relation to the authority’s area, or

(b) if no amount is so specified, is £100.

(3) The waste collection authority may make provision for treating the fixed penalty as having been paid if a lesser amount is paid before the end of a period specified by the authority.

(4) The appropriate person may by regulations make provision in connection with the powers conferred on waste collection authorities under subsections (2)(a) and (3) above.

(5) Regulations under subsection (4) may (in particular)—

(a) require an amount specified under subsection (2)(a) above to fall within a range prescribed in the regulations;

(b) restrict the extent to which, and the circumstances in which, a waste collection authority can make provision under subsection (3) above.

(6) The appropriate person may by order substitute a different amount for the amount for the time being specified in subsection (2)(b) above.”