Sea Road resident Jan Walker (pictured) has always followed the rules when it comes to putting out her recycling bins on alternate Tuesdays.
There had never been a problem… until just before Christmas that is!
Both green recycling bins had been put out as per usual although as they were full, two cardboard boxes, which had been neatly folded, were inserted between the bins for collection.
That was that, she thought but instead, she was in for a rude shock.
With her husband ill in bed and Jan still in her dressing gown, there was a sharp rap at the door. After she answered an enforcement officer, representing Rother District Council, told her in no uncertain terms that she and her husband Peter were being subjected to a £400 fine for “fly-tipping”.
Jan said: “I couldn’t believe what I was hearing. I mean fly-tipping? Really? It is not as if we had left an old sofa on the pavement and we always take great care when putting out our recycling.
“It just seems to be an easy way to boost the council’s coffers. I have heard loads of stories about smokers being followed down our roads by enforcement officers in the hope they will drop a cigarette butt and can then be fined £150… and now this.
“I was absolutely outraged. I have my husband for support but imagine if it was a pensioner on their own with limited means and something similar had happened. It could have given them a heart attack.”
The main issue for many residents since the “zero tolerance” policy was introduced is that there is scant, if any, warning before a hefty fine is issued.
A walk around the town underlines the fact that warning signs stating that anyone dropping litter will be subjected to a fine are conspicuous by their absence.
“We are being treated like criminals,” Jan added. “I was told by the officer that I had committed a criminal offence. He had taken his picture of the alleged offence at 8.30am yet by the time he returned less than an hour later the binmen had already taken it all away without complaint.
“However, the packaging we had neatly stashed between our two bins had our address on them and that led to the fine even though we had done nothing wrong.
“From our perspective, it wasn’t about the money, it was about the sheer unfairness of it and we appealed against the decision straightaway.”
This latest incident follows in the wake of Bexhill News’ recent front page about smokers being targeted by the officers Rother District Council employs via a third party.
However, the council denied this was the case and said it was merely part of a general crackdown on littering on Bexhill’s streets.
But as Jan was quick to point out: “Nobody in their right mind thinks littering is acceptable, but being punished when you are actually playing by the rules is absolutely ridiculous and also offensive.”
Having complained to both the council and its contracted enforcement agency, the £400 fine has now been rescinded.
But Jan added. Not everyone is as feisty as my husband and I. Many will just pay up but we refused to be intimidated and fought back. Fortunately, on this occasion, it paid dividends and justice was served.”
When contacted by Bexhill News, the council issued the following statement: “The fixed penalty notice was issued to Mr and Mrs Walker by an officer who was unaware that kerbside collections were taking place.
“As soon as the error was identified, the residents in question were notified that the fixed penalty notice had been cancelled.
“We are working with National Enforcement Solutions to ensure waste collection schedules are checked ahead of fixed penalty notices being issued.
“Enforcement against environmental offences began at the end of August in response to the growing issue of fly-tipping and littering, which is a blight on communities across Rother. We continue to encourage people to dispose of their waste responsibly or face on-the-spot fines.”
