Wigan man fined for dumping bin bags

A man from Wigan has been fined for fly-tipping after he dumped rubbish because he claimed he'd forgotten which day his bin was emptied.
Wigan and Leigh Magistrates CourtWigan and Leigh Magistrates Court
Wigan and Leigh Magistrates Court

Lee Watkin, of Marsden Street, Newtown, was found guilty in his absence at Wigan and Leigh Magistrates’ Court after he admitted to leaving two black bin bags filled with waste on the land between his home and Alexandra Street.

Watkin told council environment enforcement staff that he didn’t know which bin day it was and blamed them for not removing the bags. He was advised that leaving bags of waste on the street is littering.

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Officers tried repeatedly to contact Watkin to discuss waste and recycling with him but he did not respond so a fixed penalty notice was issued.

He did not attend court but was fined £220, and ordered to pay £100 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

Karl Battersby, director for environment and economy, said: “Our focus is always on education and we will work with residents to support them if they are struggling to recycle correctly.

“Ultimately, leaving bags of waste on the street is not acceptable and it ruins the neighbourhood for other residents.

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“Last year fly-tipping cost us £800,000 which equates to nearly one per cent council tax.

“By residents not fly tipping or littering and recycling their waste correctly the council can keep council tax low.

“We need people to help us by reporting incidents and hotspots so we can carry out enforcement and catch these offenders who blight our communities.”

The environmental education and enforcement team is in action seven days a week and proactively target fly tipping/littering hotspots to catch and fine offenders.

If you need help with recycling and the new collection changes click hereYou can report incidents of fly tipping via the council’s Report It app or online at www.wigan.gov.uk/reportit