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Stoke-on-Trent couple fined £1,200 after clearing up rubbish (www.bbc.co.uk)

submitted 3 months ago by [email protected] to c/[email protected]

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[–] [email protected] 5 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago) (1 children)

That's a big oof, and I feel really sorry for them.

Area has a rubbish problem. Council considers it fly tipping.
Someone tries to help by arranging it, Council now has a name for the fly-tipping, sends the fine, problem "solved".
I've often worried when reporting fly tips in the past, that my council will just use me as the closest thing they have to a lead!

The lesson is, I guess, if you're going to do this, take it to the tip.

Readers will be pleased to see that their gofundme is now standing at £1800!
I thought about chipping in a tenner, but apparently gofundme sends your real name to the fundraisers, which is a bit uncomfortable for me.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Agreed, but rather than take it to the tip (and therefore have to pay fees to dump anyway) just don’t put your name on the box. Be the anonymous hero that the council needs, but very much does not deserve.

So glad to hear their fundraising outstripped the fines! If council won’t reward them (as they so obviously should have), I’m glad that the people rallied to do so.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago (1 children)

We need good citizen protections, an extension of the laws used when providing aid that shield from liability, similar rules should exist to protect people who improve their local area.

It's bad enough the council won't do anything about the problems but evil they punish others for trying.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

Allow an animal in your care to be come sick and injured through sheer negligence, no punishment. Rescue an animal that is sick and injured and needs care, go to jail.

[–] [email protected] 4 points 3 months ago

Solution: dump it in the gardens of the local councilors.

[–] [email protected] 2 points 3 months ago* (last edited 3 months ago)

So while I personally disagree with the fine, technically they were fly tipping as they added their box to the rubbish which included their address.

Yes it is seemingly petty and the council are now PR wise idiots for enforcing the fine, but legally it is pretty clear cut. The council would have to take it on trust that the rest of the rubbish wasn't theirs and wave the fine, and why would they believe them? We all believe them because its in a BBC article and the couple have kicked up a fuss, and publicised it.

Its one of those stories which isn't quite as clear cut as it first seems.

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago

Councillor:"That'll teach 'em, bet they won't do it again."

[–] [email protected] 1 points 3 months ago (1 children)

TIL you call illegal dumping "fly tipping" in the UK.

[–] [email protected] 13 points 3 months ago

You call crossing the street jaywalking so let's not throw stones 🤣

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago (1 children)

Leaving it in a box with your name (and presumably address) on it wasn't a smart move

[–] [email protected] 3 points 3 months ago

You’re totally right, but I wish we lived in a world where leaving your name on that box would lead to a reward rather than a punishment. I can’t understand a council wanting to not only fail to incentivise, but actively disincentivise works of public good, except that it gave them an opportunity to extract more revenue. It’s a really, really sad state of affairs.

[–] [email protected] 0 points 3 months ago

oops, i dropped this link well, dont wanna risk picking it up and getting a fine