Residents fined for failing to clean up gardens

Three Leeds residents have been fined a total £1,707 for failing to deal with waste in their gardens.

During separate patrols in September, October and November 2015, environmental action officers found piles rubbish ranging from household waste, clothes, furniture and appliances to dog faeces in the gardens of Susan McClelland of St Hildas Mount, Elizabeth Jenkinson of Bellbrooke Avenue and Darren Cunningham of Brownhill Terrace.

All were called but failed to appear before magistrates on 23 June. All were found guilty in their absence of failing to comply with community protection notices requiring them to remove the waste and non-payment of the resulting fixed penalty notices.

McLelland was fined £220 and must pay £327 costs and a £22 victim surcharge.

Jenkinson was fined £220 and must pay £347 costs and a £22 victim surcharge.

Cunningham was fined £220 and must pay £307 costs and a £22 victim sucharge.

Waste accumulating in gardens or bin yards can have a detrimental impact on communities and issues can quickly spiral out of control.

Community protection notices (CPN) direct people to stop causing a problem that is having a detrimental impact on the quality of life of people in their neighbourhood.

Failing to comply with a community protection notice issued to clear up gardens or bin yards could result in a £100 fixed penalty notice or prosecution, which carries a maximum £2,500 fine.

A wealth of information about what can go in what household bin and other services to help people deal with their waste appropriately can be found on the council’s website: http://www.leeds.gov.uk/residents/Pages/Bins-and-recycling.aspx