Householders pay the price for storing waste on street

Householders are being reminded not to store their waste on the street after two people in Northampton were ordered by Magistrates to pay more than £2,500 in fines and costs.

In April 2022 West Northamptonshire Council (WNC) Neighbourhood Wardens came across a large accumulation of household waste at the junction of Clare Street and Queens Road in Northampton.

An investigation revealed the waste belonged to Terna Nina, 51, previously a resident of Clare Street, and she was issued with a £400 fixed penalty notice for putting out waste on the street before collection day which she ignored.

When she failed to appear at Northampton Magistrates on 6 July, a warrant was issued and she was arrested on 15 August, then appeared in court the following day.

After pleading guilty, Magistrates’ fined Nina £600 and ordered her to pay £1,000 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

In a separate case, Audrius Jankauskas of Gordon Street, Semilong was fined £150 and ordered to pay £600 in costs and a £34 victim surcharge at Wellingborough Magistrates on 15 August.

Jankauskas had also ignored a £150 fixed penalty notice after Neighbourhood Wardens found sacks of waste and recycling outside his home in May 2022.

He was subsequently summonsed but failed to appear at Wellingborough Magistrates on 16 August and was found guilty in his absence.

Cllr David Smith, WNC’s Cabinet Member for community safety and engagement and regulatory services, said: "Northampton is densely populated, and we have to ask householders to be respectful of their neighbourhoods.

"At West Northants Council we are trying really hard to combat fly-tipping and especially in the hot spots around Northampton. We are working closely with distressed local residents to try and stop repeat offenders fly-tipping in areas like this, and we are not talking just bin bags.

"If left on the street for any length of time, household waste can quickly end up as an unsightly mess being blown around our streets.

"This particular case relates to residents who put their bin bags out too early, the rules are clear, if you put your waste out before the day of collection it will be treated as fly-tipping and you will be issued a fine."

For information on waste and recycling in West Northants, visit - Bins, Recycling and Street Cleaning.