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We have a team of dedicated Environmental Enforcement Officers who patrol the streets of Sutton. They identify, investigate, and take enforcement action against fly-tipping and other environmental offences.
The uniformed officers are provided by our enforcement partner, Kingdom Services Group. They work alongside Sutton Council Enforcement Officers to tackle the problem of fly-tipping in the borough.
The team of uniformed Enforcement Officers cover the entire borough. They focus their attention on known fly-tipping hotspots.
They are instructed to patrol and enforce proportionately. They should always be approachable to members of the public. They also act as a visible deterrent to offenders.
All uniformed Enforcement Officers have body-worn cameras. They are activated when the officers are talking to people committing offences. This protects both the public and the officers.
The officers focus on fly-tipping, but they also look for other environmental crimes.
This includes:
The Enforcement Officers have the power to issue £400 on-the-spot penalty fines. These are for people who fly-tip waste on public footpaths and highways.
The majority of offences will be dealt with via a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).
Larger fly-tips or repeat offenders may be prosecuted. The Courts view fly-tipping as a serious criminal offence.
Judges have various powers available to them to tackle it, including:
There are no formal grounds for appeal against a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN).
This is because an FPN is issued as an alternative to being prosecuted for the offence that's been committed. By paying the penalty you discharge your liability for the offence.
Alternatively, you have the right not to pay the FPN and defend yourself in the Magistrates Court.
We would consider cancelling an FPN:
Step 1
If you feel these apply to you or the person who received the FPN, the initial point of contact is Kingdom Local Authority Support. Kingdom Local Authority Support will consider your case accordingly and a written response will be provided within 14 days.
No legal proceedings will initiated until a response has been sent to you.
Step 2
If you are not satisfied with how your complaint has been handled, you can contact the Council directly to register a complaint. Any complaints received by the Council will be treated in accordance with the Council's corporate complaints process.
Reasons for complaint may include but not be limited to:
You can contact the Council directly by submit your complaint along with any supporting documents via email or write to us at: Sutton Council, Civic Offices, St Nicholas Way, Sutton, SM1 1EA.
No legal proceedings will be initiated until a response has been sent to you.
Council Officers will independently review your case fairly without prejudice and will contact you with our findings.
1. Stage 1 Complaint
Once you've submitted your complaint, we will let you know that it's been received within 5 working days.
Complaints will be investigated and a response will be sent to you within 20 working days.
2. Stage 2 Complaint
If you are unhappy with the response from Stage 1, you have 28 days to request a Stage 2 review.
You will need to email or write to us explaining why you are dissatisfied and this request will then be reviewed by a senior council officer who has not been involved in your case before to reconsider your complaint.
We will send you a response within 20 working days or tell you if it will take longer and let you know when you can expect a full reply.
3. Refer to Local Government Ombudsman
If you are not happy with the outcome of your Stage 2 complaint you can refer your complaint to the Local Government Ombudsman.
At this stage, any Fixed Penalty Notice will need to be paid in full to avoid further legal action being taken.
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