A London father has criticised the inconsistency of litter fines after his son was issued a £500 fixed-penalty notice for dropping a cigarette butt in Southwark. He claims the enforcement officer physically prevented the teenager from picking up the butt and threatened to call the police if he did not provide identification. The fine was promptly issued.
The father noted that similar offences in neighbouring boroughs attract vastly different penalties: Barnet charges £100, while Enfield imposes £500 for the same act. He described the 400% variation as “not proportional and not fair”. Government guidance, made legally binding last month, states enforcement should be “transparent, accountable, proportionate and consistent”.
Southwark Council outsources litter enforcement to APCOA, a private company also known for issuing parking fines. The father expressed concern that the 50% discount for prompt payment pressures recipients to pay, after which the fine cannot be challenged. Only one London borough appears to publish its enforcement policy as required.
Southwark Council defended its approach, stating that littering is a concern for residents and that its contractor acts “in line with national and local guidance”. APCOA confirmed its teams followed standard procedures and that it does not retain proceeds from fines. The Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs emphasised that enforcement should be proportionate and focus on the worst offenders.
