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Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN)

If you drop litter or let your dog foul, you might be issued with a FPN. Find out when a FPN may be issued and how you can pay the fine.

IN THIS ARTICLE

  • What is a fixed penalty notice?
  • Information about appealing a fixed penalty notice
  • A summary of fixed penalty notices issued by Colchester Borough Council

Have you been issued an FPN? Please call 01206 282700 to pay it

 

What is a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN)?

An FPN is a fine that is issued to someone who has committed an environmental offence. The FPN basically offers an opportunity to waive a prosecution in court by paying a much smaller penalty fee. 

If you are caught by either one of our Community Wardens or a resident who can provide sufficient evidence of you doing one of the following then we are required by law to issue you with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN): 

  • Dog fouling

  • Littering (including throwing litter out of vehicles) 

  • Taking trade waste (rubbish that you have accumulated from your business) to a tip for residents.  

  • Fly tipping 

  • Distributing or leaving leaflets somewhere without consent 

  • Abandoning your vehicle somewhere  

  • Repairing vehicles on a road 

  • Smoking in a smoke-free place 

  • Graffiti 

If a child is caught doing one of the above, the action we take will depend on their age.  

  • People under the age of 16 cannot be given an FPN 

  • People between the ages of 16 and 17, where they are caught committing an offence, can be given an FPN if a parent or a guardian is present.  

 

Appeals

There is no process of appeal with a FPN. You can decide not to pay it but then the case will be brought before a Magistrate's Court for prosecution. 

All the offences mentioned above will carry a criminal conviction and a fine that could be significantly greater than the FPN. If found guilty by a court, this fine will not exceed Level 4 on the Standard Scale which is currently set at £2,500.00. 

In the case of littering/dog fouling, the absence of a litter/dog waste bin is not a reasonable defence against the offence. 

Fixed Penalty Notices issued by Colchester Borough Council:

 

Year

Fixed Penalty

Littering

Fixed Penalty

Dog Littering

Abandoned

Vehicles

PSPO

Breach

Fixed Penalty

Fly Tipping

Fines Imposed

By Court

1 April 2015 - 31 March 2016

39 14 0 0 N/A £2,985.00
1 April 2016 - 31 March 2017 41 3 4 0 7 £1,458.00
1 April 2017 - 31 March 2018 38 8 2 18 275 £2,097.50
1 April 2018 – 31 March 2019 389 4 1 109 168 £1,176
1 April 2019 – 31 March 2020 20 1 0 6 31 £782
1 April 2020 – 31 March 2021 11 1 3 15 67 £2,432
1 April 2021 – 31 March 2022 11 0 2 27 77 £0

 

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