A council is threatening £50,000 fines for people who put their bins out on the wrong day

There have been problems with dumped waste in the area for years (Photo: Shutterstock)There have been problems with dumped waste in the area for years (Photo: Shutterstock)
There have been problems with dumped waste in the area for years (Photo: Shutterstock)

A council has warned local residents who leave their bins out on the wrong days could face a fine - of up to £50,000.

The laminated notice warning of the whopping penalty was put up by Cheltenham Borough Council.

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It was left on a street that is often constantly strewn with rubbish-filled bin bags, warning that these bags could be treated as fly-tipping.

Backed by local business owners

The warning notice, fixed beside the alleyway on High Street in Cheltenham reads, "Refuse collection days are Tuesday and Friday.

"Refuse bags presented outside the hours of 2100 hours Monday - 0700 hours Tuesday and 2100 Thursday - 0700 Friday will be treated as being fly tipped."

The notice added that the maximum fine would be £50,000 and said the area was being monitored by CCTV.

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Ibrahim Dinc, owner of Sunrise Cafe next to the alleyway entrance, has backed the council's drastic action.

He said, "It’s right. If they don’t write notices on that wall, it’s going to make things worse."

A regular problem with waste

Mr Dinc said he did not know who is responsible for putting rubbish out in and around the alleyway at the wrong times, but commented, "I don’t think it’s businesses. It could be, but I don’t know."

He added that there had been a problem with waste being left there for the whole of the five years that he had been at the cafe.

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Mr Dinc also said he understood the council planned to prevent public access to the alleyway, where he said there had been incidents of fighting, drinking and drug dealing.

He believed the plan was to install gates which only residents, rather than the general public, would be able to use.

Possible prosecution for offenders

A council spokeswoman said, “There have been issues with the build-up of waste in this alleyway for some time.

"Signs are now on display to remind residents and businesses of the correct days to put out their refuse, which in this area is a Tuesday and Friday.

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“Our community protection officer has reminded residents that their waste should be presented on the kerbside on the specified days and not the alleyway.

“The area is being monitored and, as stated on the signs, anyone found to be putting waste into the alleyway or out on to the kerbside outside of the collection days can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice of £400, reduced to £250 if paid within 10 days.

“If the FPN is still not paid, the courts will prosecute and this is when the maximum £50,000 could be imposed.’’