Sandwell Council stoop to new low

There is not much more we can say about Sandwell Council on this blog.

We have had to write about their overbearing, punitive and bullying approach to enforcement so many times over the past 12 months, we have almost run out of surprise and adjectives.

From Vanessa Kelly getting fined for feeding the ducks, to the council refusing to shovel snow outside a retirement home, to Kerrie-Ann Hickin being handed a fine when a tissue blew from her pocket; Sandwell have persistently demonstrated the worst of Britain's big brother state.

The statistics paint an even uglier picture, with Sandwell MBC handing out 2,200 penalty fines last year, compared to just 336 in neighbouring Dudley. 

Today the news has arrived that a 70 year-old is to appear in court after refusing to pay a £75 fixed penalty notice given to her when she dropped cigarette ash whilst waiting for the bus.

That's right. Not the butt...the ash.

As I said earlier, I've simply run out of adjectives.

By Dylan Sharpe

Comments

[Andrew Ampers Taylor]

On the other hand, perhaps the residents are all cretins? After all, they voted in the partywho carry out these tasks!

My father always said, if you lie down with dogs, you'll always wake up with fleas.

No doubt the voters vote for that party because their parents did, and their grand-parents did.

People who don't have a mind of their own surely deserve what they get?

[Jon]

It would be worth checking out the stats on their litter wardens via a FOI. No names or anything and as simple as the number penalty notices each warden has given out. It's either endemic in the council or there are a few bad apples in the council with power mad egos fining anyone and everyone they can. And they must keep records on each warden because they will have to show them if cases reached the courts.

[Paul]

Surly the only way they can issue a fine is if
you give your details? If you refuse and they
call the Police the onus would be on the
warden to prove the crime?
And if police involment ensues and an officer
Is placed on his oath to uphold the peace
couldn't one request referral to the CPS?

[Purlieu]

Just walk away, they have no power to detain

[Malcolm]

They are probably only too happy with the publicity and the message that it will cost you to drop litter in Sandwell. Is it just me that finds imposing an arbitrary and vindictive penalty on a real person to gain publicity profoundly wrong?

[mrmovie]

personally i am not surprised that the council has issued so many penality notices for dropping litter. the litter in the uk is a disgrace. a recent walk round my old neighbourhood almost brought me to tears. the lack of respect for our own backyard in the uk is a disgrace.
fines are not the way of course. education is. however, there is nothing wrong with a deterent. if people are still dropping litter why wouldnt they expect a consequence.
the headlines items with issuing silly fines cant be excused. however, i would like to see any evidence that the penalty measures are having a positive effect on the litter in the Sandwell's area. If Sandwell is indeed the cleanest place in the country then it must be a good thing?

[Leg-iron]

I'm afraid I stole your picture and meddled with it.

http://underdogsbiteupwards.blogspot.com/2010/08/no-self-control.html

Mrmovie - certainly, littering and fly tipping should be fined, but feeding ducks, dropping ash and accidentally losing something are not instances of littering.

Fining those things are instances of overbearing morons.

[Juicy Handbags]

There is a strong view that holds that success is a myth, and ambition therefore a sham. Does this mean that success does not really exist? That achievement is at bottom empty?

[Nike Shox Clearance]

You might have it if it belongs to you,whereas you don't kvetch for it if it doesn't look within your life.

[True Religion Jeans]

It is awfully easy to be hard-boiled about everything in the daytime,but at night it is another thing.