That’s Rubbish
The government’s answer to everything these days seems to involve legislation & ‘cracking down’ on the citizens of the UK.
The latest wheeze to stamp its authority on the masses & get a bit of extra free cash at the same time, is to fine people who infringe ‘wheelie bin’ legislation.
The Flycapture Enforcement Manual (no, I didn’t make that up!), drawn up by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has ordered local councils to fine residents for refuse transgressions. The fine will be "not less than £75 & up to £110". It suggests a ’standard’ fixed penalty sholud be £100 & states that if the fine is not paid it is "essential it is followed up".
The offences for which householders will be fined will include leaving the lid of a wheelie bin ajar, putting out a bin the evening before collection or leaving the bin in the wrong place.
I’m reminded of the Not the Nine O’Clock News sketch from the 80s when a Constable Savage is admonished for arresting one Vincent Kodogo for such made-up offences as ‘wearing a loud tie in the built up area’, ‘walking on the cracks in the pavement’ & ‘looking at me in a funny way’.
It’s interesting to note that if you walk into Tescos, steal £200-worth of booze, use it to get pissed up & damage a few streets signs or pull up someone’s prize begionias, you’ll probably end up with an £80 fixed penalty ticket, and nothing else. If you leave the lid open on a wheelie bin you’ll get a £100 fine.
If you fail to pay the fine, you could end up hundreds of pounds in debt to the magistrates court.
Bloody crazy.
MarkUK says:
How true!
Where does the money go from a Civil Penalty (it’s not a fine; they are imposed by the courts, though there’s little difference) go to?
It wouldn’t be the coffers of the local authority would it? If so, I bet the bin cops will be on overtime near the end of the financial year!
August 5th, 2008 at 9:10 pm
Joe says:
Well soft targets which is what this government is all about - easier than dealing with real issues.
August 6th, 2008 at 12:04 am
PC-FedUp says:
Makes a change for the government to fleece non-motorists
August 6th, 2008 at 1:49 am
Agent Douane says:
I blame performance related pay. Too many people seeking a Good yearly appraisal performance mark have to think up more ideas to justify their marking.
August 6th, 2008 at 5:49 pm
No Offences Disclosed says:
Trouble is that it is far easier to catch the local pensioner for leaving their bin lid open or setting it out to early than setting up obs points at regular Fly tipping places.
I know which I’d rather be hearing about them doing something about…
August 6th, 2008 at 6:06 pm
Civ_In_The_City says:
Another classic, thanks 200. Brilliant examples of ‘arse about face’ Britain. I think Wales and Scotland are doing a bit better than England where policies seems to be designed to p*ss off as many people as possible (in the interests of equality and inclusion no doubt).
Now the government has persuaded us all to stop smoking I suppose they have to claw back that lost tax somehow. Then there`s Swindon`s decision to scrap speed cameras. Iraq war (1st and 2nd) still to be paid for. It all mounts up.
Is it also because they given up power over anything meaningful to Brussels so can now only tinker at the edges, making up problems to fix (and fine)?
August 6th, 2008 at 7:02 pm
Tony F says:
It’s the ‘captive audience’ trick. After all, there is little chance of 43, The Willows, making off at speed. If one has put too much rubbish in one’s receptacle, is it a case of Bin Ova Ladan?
One has to applaud Swindon’s scrapping of speed camera’s. It will be interesting so see the accident rate go up. Or not. And can I put up one outside our local primary school?
August 6th, 2008 at 8:26 pm
200 says:
Tony, that is the worst joke I’ve heard in some considerable time! Congratulations.
August 6th, 2008 at 11:11 pm
No Offences Disclosed says:
Tony F, Don’t listen to him, I love a good pun!
August 7th, 2008 at 1:19 pm
Plodnomore says:
If this ‘crime’ is one dictated by a government department as opposed to a statute by Parliament it becomes a political offence and not one which can be dealt with a magistrates court (in the Wilson government the speed limit was reduced to 50mph for political gain and many convicted of speeding had their penalties overturned on the grounds that it was a political offence and had not been agreed by Parliament). In such a case, I would suggest the ‘offender’ turn up in court in a black and white striped trousers, jacket and cap (a yellow star or pink triangle is optional), plead not guilty and demand the right to question the person responsible for issuing this diktat. Referring to him/her as an “unteroffizier” may also help as may talking about any relatives who spent 6 years of their lives fighting such fascists.
August 8th, 2008 at 8:56 pm
andy says:
I don’t mind sorting out my rubbish into piles for recycling and piles for land fill, i dont mind placing my wheelie bins out on the morning of collection, i don’t even mind placing my bins in a designated place with the handles facing the road i just think of all this as doing my little bit for society, however i get really pee’d off when i come home to find the bone idle bin men have dumped my now emptied bins right infront of my drive way not only that but often my neighbours bins too, you’d think that after the trouble i have taken the least they could do is put them back where they found them.
Complain to the Council i hear you say, might as well talk to a brick wall. i think you can guess what my refuse collectors will get for xmas this year.
p.s When did they become refuse collectors was it when they no longer had to do any heavy work like lift a bin.
September 15th, 2008 at 2:47 am