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Hammersmith and Fulham Council Cancels £1,000 Bin Fine After Criticism

Retracting the fine has prompted fresh scrutiny of the council’s enforcement team

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Overview

  • Clyde Strachan was fined £1,000 for putting his bins out six hours early before going on holiday.
  • The council withdrew the fixed-penalty notice within hours of media inquiries, admitting his actions did not amount to persistent fly-tipping.
  • Hammersmith and Fulham’s 72-officer enforcement team patrols day and night, issuing more than 2,200 fines in 2024 after raising fly-tipping penalties from £200 to £1,000.
  • Shadow Justice Secretary Robert Jenrick labelled the fine “Stasi-like” and the TaxPayers’ Alliance called it disproportionate overreach against minor infractions.
  • Campaigners are calling for clearer waste-collection rules and greater transparency in the council’s enforcement practices.