Boston couple fined £1,200 after their rubbish is ‘stolen’

Boston has waged a long-running war on fly-tipping and individuals can be issued fixed penalty notices (FPNs) of up to £1,000.

In July this year, the council said it hoped to “eradicate” the issue, after making progress through a combination of education and enforcement, with 237 FPNs issued in 12 months.

In the first quarter of this year, the council responded to 1,439 fly-tipping incidents, a reduction of 10% on the same period in 2023.

In her case, Ms Swinn said she had tried to explain that there had been a mistake.

The couple have considered appealing the fines, which will be reduced to £400 each if paid within 10 days, but fear they will be taken to court.

“If we lost the court case we’d face a criminal conviction or up to a £50,000 fine,” she said.

“We can’t risk doing that, we don’t want a criminal conviction.”

Ms Swinn said she had spoken to a ward councillor and Lincolnshire Police about the theft.

The force confirmed it had received a report of anti-social behaviour.

However, Ms Swinn said she had been left paying the bill for the fly-tipper.

“They’re the one getting away scot-free and we’re picking up the mess.”

A spokesperson for the council said: “We take allegations of environmental crime offences very seriously as it impacts the cleanliness and safety of our community.

“If a member of the public contacts us regarding a fixed penalty notice, we are committed to reviewing the circumstances around each case and ensuring that the correct process is being followed.”

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