Data protection and freedom of information

Data on fixed penalty notices issued for littering and flytipping between 2018 and 2022

Copy of letter sent on 5th December 2022 in response to Freedom of Information request 13703837 asking for data on fixed penalty notices issued for littering and flytipping between 2018 and 2022.

Dear Ms Mathilde Grandjean,

Thank you for your recent request received 15th November 2022. Your request was actioned under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 in which you requested the following information.

Question

I am writing to make an open government request for all the information to which I am entitled under the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

I am writing to you under the Freedom of Information Act 2000 to request the following information from the street cleaning and litter department.

Littering - please could you provide the requested data per year for the last 4 years (2018- 2022).

  1. What is the fine cost of a littering Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN)?
  2. How many FPNs did you issue for littering?
  3. How many FPNs for littering were paid for each year over the last 4 years?
  4. How many council complaints have you had for littering?
  5. How many employees do you have that litter pick, and how has this number changed over the last 4 years?
  6. How many staff members were furloughed during 2020 and 2021?

Fly-tipping - please could you provide the requested data per year for the last 4 years (2018- 2022).

  1. What is the fine cost for a fly-tipping FPN?
  2. How many fly-tipping FPN have you issued for each year over the last 4 years?
  3. How much money was collected from FPNs for fly-tipping each year for the last 4 years?
  4. How many reports/complaints on fly-tipping did you receive for the above time frame?
  5. What is the cost to the council to rectify fly-tipping offences?

If you have any queries please don't hesitate to contact me via email or phone and I will be very happy to clarify what I am asking for and discuss the request, my details are outlined below.

Response

Liverpool City Council confirms that it holds information relevant to the terms of your request, our response being set out below. 

Littering - please could you provide the requested data per year for the last 4 years (2018- 2022).

1. What is the fine cost of a littering Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN)? £80

2. How many FPNs did you issue for littering?

  • 2019 = 139
  • 2020 = 25
  • 2021 = 20
  • 2022 = 10

3. How many FPNs for littering were paid for each year over the last 4 years?

  • 2019 = 43
  • 2020 = 17
  • 2021 = 16
  • 2022 = 5

4. How many council complaints have you had for littering? Over the last 12 months, 4077 requests to clean a street have been raised via the council’s asset management system.

5. How many employees do you have that litter pick, and how has this number changed over the last 4 years? The street cleansing service currently employs 204 people, as well as litter picking and street sweeping, these staff empty bins, clear fly-tipping, remove graffiti, spray for weeds and wash streets. This has increased from 198 four years ago.

6. How many staff members were furloughed during 2020 and 2021? We are in the process of working out the answer to number 6, it's complicated as different people were furloughed at different times. However do you need to provide an answer to this as they are LSSL staff not council staff.

Fly-tipping - please could you provide the requested data per year for the last 4 years (2018- 2022).

1. What is the fine cost for a Fly-tipping FPN? £400

2. How many fly-tipping FPN have you issued for each year over the last 4 years?

  • 2019 = 15
  • 2020 = 22
  • 2021 = 15
  • 2022 = 14

3. How much money was collected from FPNs for fly-tipping each year for the last 4 years?

  • 2019 = 6 = £2,400
  • 2020 = 4 = £1,600
  • 2021 = 9 = £3,600
  • 2022 = 9 = £3,600

4. How many reports/complaints on fly-tipping did you receive for the above timeframe?

  • 2019 = 14,742
  • 2020 = 14,759
  • 2021 = 12,950
  • 2022 = 15,243

5. What is the cost to the council to rectify fly-tipping offences? Approx 800k for removal and disposal.

This concludes our response

The City Council will consider appeals, referrals or complaints in respect of your Freedom of Information Act 2000 and you must submit these in writing to Informationrequests@liverpool.gov.uk within 28 days of receiving your response.

The matter will be dealt with by an officer who was not previously involved with the response and we will look to provide a response within 40 days.

If you remain dissatisfied you may also apply to the Information Commissioner for a decision about whether the request for information has been dealt with in accordance with the Freedom of Information Act 2000.

The Information Commissioner’s website is ico.org.uk and the postal address and telephone numbers are: Information Commissioner’s Office, Wycliffe House, Water Lane, Wilmslow, Cheshire SK95AF. Fax number 01625 524 510, DX 20819, Telephone 01625 545745. Email mail@ico.gsi.gov.uk - they advise that their email is not secure.

I trust this information satisfies your enquiry.

Yours sincerely,

Information Team