Revealed: The areas where most fly-tipping and littering fines were issued across South Holland, Boston Borough and East Lindsey this summer

More than 800 fines for anti-social behaviour and enviro-crime were dished out throughout the summer months across the South & East Lincolnshire sub-region, it can be revealed.

In the four-month period between May 18 and September 18 - when holidaymakers flocking to the county’s coast and tourists visiting our towns on day trips swelling the footfall in the sub-region - a total of 855 fixed penalty notices were handed to the public for offences ranging from fly-tipping to littering, a freedom of information request shows.

Information provided also gives a breakdown of which areas across South and East Lincolnshire are seen to be - or targeted as - hotspots for anti-social behaviour.

East Lindsey saw the most FPN (fixed penalty notices) dished out, their total of 364 slightly higher than the 334 issued in Boston Borough.

However, just 157 fines were handed out in South Holland - seemingly backing authority leader Coun Nick Worth’s assertions that patrols carried out by independent firm Kingdom LA Support have been a ‘great success story’ in deterring anti-social behaviour in the district.

Although each authority files its data in separate ways, South Holland leads the way in fly-tipping fines, handing out 14 in the four-month period.

During the same timeframe, there were eight fines in Boston Borough and five in East Lindsey.

It is probably little surprise that littering and the throwing away of cigarette ends accounts for the most fines in each patch.

A breakdown of fines issued for each offence by each authority can be shown as:

South Holland: littering 139, fly-tipping 14, commercial duty of care 2, abandoned vehicle 2.

East Lindsey: littering 304, fly-tipping 5, commercial duty of care 6, public space protection order related offences 49.

Boston Borough: Cigarette 205, fly-tipping 8, not specified 8, abandoned vehicle 4, black bag 2, community penalty notices 5, domestic duty of care 10, food 3, litter discarded from vehicles 3, other 37, public space protection order related offences 6, spitting 41, transfer not 2.

Of the 855 penalty notices handed out, Skegness - its populations swelling through the summer - ranked highest with a total of 273 FPNs issued.

Boston - which holds its data by wards, rather than by towns and villages - saw 269 FPNs issued in its town centre Station ward.

The third highest number of fines were received in Spalding, a total of 127.

Other areas across the South & East Lincs Partnership where fines were dished out included: Horncastle 24, Boston Witham 16, Louth 15, Mablethorpe 11, Boston St Thomas 11, Boston West 10, Crowland 9, Pinchbeck 9, Five Villages (Sutterton, Bicker, Fosdyke, Wigtoft, Algarkirk) 9, Wyberton 8, Alford 8, Holbeach 6, Spilsby 5, Boston Skirbeck 5, Boston Staniland 5, Boston Fenside 4, Long Sutton 3, Fishtoft 3, Wragby 2, Sutton Bridge 2, Kirton and Frampton 2, Donington 1, Boston Coastal 1, Swineshead and Holland Fen 1.

A partnership with Kingdom LA Support sees the private firm use patrols and overt cameras to catch anti-social behaviour and enviro-crime.

More than £30,000 raised

More than £30,000 was raised from anti-social behaviour and enviro-crime fines across the South & East Lincolnshire Councils Partnership this summer.

Boston Borough accounts for the vast majority of the cash, bringing in £27,155 from fixed penalty notices over a four-month period.

Despite handing out the most FPNs, East Lindsey did not raise anywhere near the total of its neighbours, although the authority did swell its coffers by £3,650.

Between the period of May 18 and September 18, South Holland brought in £1,025.

In this timescale East Lindsey saw the most FPNs dished out, their total of 364 marginally higher than the 334 issued in Boston Borough.

A total of 157 fines were issued in South Holland.

The sub-region works in conjunction with private firm Kingdom LA Support, who carry out foot patrols and use overt cameras across the three districts to clamp down on littering, fly-tipping and other offences.

Each authority receives 10% of funds raised from fines within their district, with each setting the amount each fine costs.

Information gathered from a Freedom of Information request also reveals that members of the public were most likely to be successful in appealing their fines in East Lindsey, where 247 of 464 appeals (53%) were successful.

In Boston 67 of 235 appeals (28%) were successful, although two appeals remained open when data was collected.

People issued FPNs in South Holland were the least likely to have their fines revoked, with just 10% successful, 11 from 108 appeals.

South Holland leader Coun Nick Worth recently hailed the work carried out by Kingdom in reducing anti-social behaviour in the area, particularly Spalding town centre.

“We’ve issued a lot of fines for anti-social behaviour and littering particularly, as well as fly-tipping.

“That’s been quite a success and, to be honest, I walk round Spalding and, compared to other towns, from a littering perspective, it’s a lot better.”

However, others have raised concerns about the patrols, arguing they favour easy fines in highly-populated areas over offering a deterrence throughout the area.

SHDC’s Coun Michael Booth recently told the authority’s Performance Monitoring Panel he has seen a rise in fly-tipping in Sutton Bridge.

“I have asked where do these people work and the majority of the time they are in Spalding.” he said.

“We were sold a scheme that was going to solve the problems of the district but it seems to me that the problem of fly-tipping is getting worse.”

When this data was submitted to LincsOnline 148 fines in Boston, 95 in East Lindsey and 58 in South Holland were yet to be paid.

What do you think? Let us know your views in the comments below…