Exeter's £1million cigarette street clean-up bill after smokers
CLEANING up after smokers costs the taxpayer more than £1million a year in Exeter, the Echo can reveal.
A large percentage of the clean-up costs involve picking up cigarette ends discarded in the street.
And the cash-strapped city council has warned anyone caught throwing away cigarette remains will see their own money go up in smoke.
The get-tough approach has been endorsed by Exeter magistrates, who have been issuing fines of several hundred pounds to offenders in recent weeks.
There were several cases heard on just one day at Exeter Magistrates' Court where smokers who did not pay the £75 fixed penalty notice for littering ended up having to pay nearly five times as much.
The city council has vowed to continue to pursue prosecutions as it is faced with a £1.3million-a-year bill for street cleansing in Exeter.
It claims around 80 per cent of litter is cigarette-related, and the council said cigarette butts were one of the hardest things to pick up because of their size.
They can also cause pollution when they get into gullies and watercourses.
But some of those on the receiving end of the heavy penalties claim the fines are excessive.
Among those hit hard in the pocket was Elly Page, 20, of Higher Barley Mount, Exwick, who was ordered to pay fines and costs totalling £330 after she was found guilty of dropping a cigarette butt in the Guildhall Shopping Centre. This was made up of a £175 fine, £140 costs awarded to the city council and a £15 victim surcharge.
Another to see their cash go up in smoke was Simon Rice, 48, of Old Ide Lane, Exeter, who was fined the same amount for dropping a butt in Martins Lane on September 3 last year. Both were convicted in their absence.
Victoria Hunt, 26, of Hamilton Avenue, Exeter, was fined £60 with a £15 victim surcharge after she admitted committing the offence on September 14 last year at the Guildhall, but no award was made for costs.
Several others charged with committing the same offence in the city centre – Lucy Marks, 21, of Buddle Lane; Shamiul Islam, 24, of Pinhoe; David Gibson, 29 of Taunton; Ben Cole, 21, of Plymouth, and Jay Brice, 30 of North Devon – all had their cases adjourned and will appear before Exeter Magistrates' Court again on April 6.
The prosecutions were carried out under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 and the maximum fine is £2,500.
And it is not just the smokers that are being targeted.
Emma Kombe, of Lavender Road, Exeter, was found guilty of dropping chewing gum in South Street and also ordered to pay £330 in fines and costs.
One of those taken to court said the fines were excessive and is planning to appeal.
The defendant, who did not want to be identified, said they were not aware it had gone to court because the summons from the city council had been delivered to the wrong house.
The defendant said: "I think the amount of the fine is too high – too excessive. The council messed up by hand delivering the summons to the wrong letter box.
"I dropped the cigarette end in a moment of habit. I'm appealing on a matter of principle."
The city council currently has 26 cigarette bins as well as more than 600-plus litter bins spread throughout Exeter.
Councillor Rob Hannaford, portfolio holder for environment and leisure, said: "It is a shame that certain people still throw their cigarette butts on the ground rather than dispose of them responsibly.
"Cheap, portable cigarette butt containers are readily available from shops, and are an effective way of taking your cigarette litter home to dispose of.
"Times have moved on and discarded cigarette butts are no longer socially acceptable – they are the same as any other form of litter, but are actually far harder to pick up, and are the type of litter most often found."
He added: "The vast majority of people do have pride in their city and their general surroundings but unfortunately there are still those who don't think twice about littering – we try hard to persuade them to change their ways.
"If they aren't prepared to do that, then we will issue them with a £75 fixed penalty notice or an opportunity to appear in court."
16 Comments
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by AP, Exeter
Monday, April 04 2011, 2:10PM
“Mindless smoker's on here aren't exactly the best reps for their cause! Same problem as people who leave their dog mess behind. Makes me really mad but even madder when you hear them bleating about getting caught! My heart bleeds.....”
by David Pitts, Higher wear rd
Monday, April 04 2011, 10:26AM
“Just do what i do
put your ciggie in a bin with
paper in and
cross the road and wait
and enjoy the bin melting.”
by Local Vocal, Exeter
Monday, April 04 2011, 10:09AM
“So how come the council provide bins for litter and bins for dog mess but no bins for cigarette butts? We have the so called 'stub it' bins in our High Streets with plastic bin liners inside which regularly catch fire! Yes there are a few dedicated 'cigarette bins' around the city but not enough. How they have the nerve to fine you when the cheeky so and so's are the ones putting tobacco on our streets in the first place is beyond me! YES I am a smoker and I also agree that fag butts thrown on the floor is a mess SO PROVIDE SMOKERS WITH SAND BINS! Help to eliminate the issue rather than try to make money from it! It's not rocket science is it!”
by Alex, Torquay
Sunday, April 03 2011, 8:29PM
“...listen to all you people trying to excuse what you are doing.
It is plain and simple - drop litter ....get fined. No excuses!
Just take some pride guys! Love your City!”
by SKoM, Cullompton
Sunday, April 03 2011, 7:15PM
“"The risks associated with passive smoking are miniscule at best"
db, uk
I'll agree with what you said, but not what you meant
Ask anyone with a respiratory problem whether passive smoking is detrimental to their health.
if you hadn't noticed, drinking alchohol is already banned in numerous places.
You level of paranoia suggests a higher tobacco ratio would be beneficial ;-)”
by db, uk
Sunday, April 03 2011, 11:03AM
“Smokers won't fight it because most have swallowed all the anti propaganda. The worst are those who meekly shuffle out of pubs. The risks associated with passive smoking are miniscule at best, but the ban was introduced fraudulently as a crucial part of a much wider agenda. One that ultimately affects drinkers as well. In fact, it's the drinkers they're really after, the smoking ban was designed partly as an experiment to gauge public subservience to draconian rule. It seems to have worked, so expect it to be widened with similar tactics applied to alcohol. It'll be amusing to witness the splutterings of anti smoking drinkers when they come under the jackboot. Early days yet, but the campaign is well under way. There'll be calls for banning drinking in outside public spaces at some point, litter will be one of the excuses. And it'll be much easier to justify, the harm caused to third parties by alcohol is obvious. It's up to the electorate to decide whether or not such risks are worth bearing. If so, they need to start resisting. If not, then we can all look forward to governance by the puritans. Controlled by unelected non-practising doctors.”
by clive, Exeter
Saturday, April 02 2011, 8:46PM
“You cant fight it because theres too many spineless sheep afraid of the wolf”
by db, uk
Saturday, April 02 2011, 7:08PM
“This is simply part of the denormalisation process, whereby smokers are disenfranchised. The health facists want those smoking out of public view, to protect the chiiildren. First it was inside public spaces, soon it will be outside. It's already happening in the USA. All based on lies (anyone who has simply accepted official propaganda is aware of only half the argument).
Ever wondered why proper disposal facilities aren't provided by councils? This would go a long way to solving the problem. After all, they're part of the system that has forced smokers outside. Also bear in mind that every UK duty paid fag butt has 'earned' 25p for the country. The average 20/day smoker contributes about £2000/year to help pay for the stick used to beat them.
Time to wake up, you dozy smokers...fight it or accept it.”
by J.R., Exeter
Saturday, April 02 2011, 5:47PM
“Thats funny i understood it was a £75.00 fine for dropping a fag end !! i like to know the ages of the people who have been fined ,i bet they are all or mostly over 30 ish as i cant see many enforcement officers stopping some of the younger generation ,every ones going on about smokers well a fag end will blow away with the wind (not that im saying its ok i hate smoking )but why doesnt the council fine all the chewing gum dumpers ?im sure it costs much more to remove that and it looks so much worse .”
by clive, Exeter
Saturday, April 02 2011, 4:42PM
“Yes Ed, I would like to assume responsability, and of course the Government will stop charging me £8 in tax for a £10 pack of baccy, wont they?
P.O Ed.”