162 people fined for littering in Waterloo Road during January

Lambeth Council's environmental enforcement officers were a familiar sight in Waterloo Road in January, doling out fixed penalty notices (FPNs) on 18 out of the 31 days in the month.

The SE1 website requested information about the activity of the enforcement officers – employed by APCOA to act on behalf of Lambeth Council – under the Freedom of Information Act.

During January 162 people received FPNs for littering in Waterloo Road, whilst two penalties for spitting were issued.

The busiest day was Friday 31 January when 17 of the £150 penalties were issued.

The council told us that all FPNs are issued at £150 with a reduction to £100 if paid within 14 days.

As of 18 February the value of the FPNs issued in Waterloo Road was £19,300, including 56 at the full rate of £150 and 109 at the discounted rate of £100.

Across the borough of Lambeth, more than £500,000 was collected via FPNs in the two years to January 2019.

If a littering penalty is not paid, the council is able to take cases to the magistrates' court where offenders can be fined up to £2,500.

A council report published last year noted that "payments associated with FPNs [are] used to cover the cost of having officers out on street to educate citizens around the damage their antisocial behaviour has on the environment, and where appropriate, to enforce environmental crime offences by citizens in the borough".

APCOA is currently advertising a vacancy for a Lambeth environmental civil enforcement officer with a salary of £27,500 a year.