Telford resident fined £450 for 'brazen' dumping of household waste on public footpath
A resident has been ordered to cough up £450 after household waste including handbags was discovered dumped "in the middle of a public footpath" in Telford.
Telford & Wrekin Council issued a £450 fixed penalty notice to the resident after council officers attended reports of fly-tipping in Brookside.
A spokesperson for the council said the team were "met with a brazen pile of rubbish" that was "dumped in plain sight".
The pile reportedly contained soggy cardboard, polystyrene sheets, supermarket bags stuffed with general household waste, handbags and a travel bag, all dumped "right in the middle of the footpath".
Telford & Wrekin Council said the mess amounted to five bags and a cardboard box of rubbish.
A subsequent investigation traced the waste back to an address on Brereton and a fixed penalty notice was issued to the resident responsible for breaching their legal duty of care - the requirement for all householders to make sure their rubbish is disposed of safely and correctly.
The notice offered them the opportunity to resolve the matter without court proceedings. No explanation for the disposal of the waste was provided, and the local authority said the individual has now paid the £450 fine in full.
Councillor Richard Overton, the council's cabinet member for highways, housing and enforcement, said: “There is absolutely no excuse for dumping waste like this.
"When people fail to dispose of rubbish responsibly, it blights neighbourhoods and places unnecessary financial pressure on taxpayers who ultimately fund clean‑ups.
“This case sends a clear message: if waste from your home ends up dumped illegally, you are responsible - and you will face enforcement action.
“We are grateful to residents who continue to report incidents and support us in keeping communities safe, clean and welcoming.”
