THE new administration of Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council has pledged to take a “common sense approach” in issuing fines for fly-tipping cases in Basingstoke.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s leader Cllr Paul Harvey said the new administration will be reviewing the existing policies for fly-tipping in Basingstoke.

The announcement follows a recent incident reported by the Gazette, where a Basingstoke resident was fined for leaving clothes intended for charity in a box near a collection point in Popley.

David Hughes, 66, of Malta Close, received a £250 fine for placing the clothes next to a charity bin designated for the Air Ambulance and Children's Air Ambulance.

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Following the report, Cllr Harvey has assured the public that the council will “review” the fixed penalty notice issued against Mr Hughes.

Cllr Harvey said: “We take fly-tipping very seriously but as a new administration we also want to take a common sense approach, therefore we will be reviewing the policies for fly-tipping and also reviewing the fixed penalty notice issued in this case.”

Mr Hughes, who served 20 years in the submarine service at Faslane Naval Base before being medically discharged, previously said he had no choice but to leave the clothes in a box outside because the bin at Popley Community Centre was full and it had a flappy lid.

Mr Hughes, who has rheumatoid arthritis and buckled hands and feet, said he got a letter from the council in the first week of June.

Although he tried to appeal the fine, he was sent a fixed penalty letter three days later.

Leaving items on the floor is classed as fly-tipping as it encourages others to do the same when they visit the site.

The charity banks at the council’s recycling sites are managed by the charities themselves who empty them. They do require items to be placed in bags and put in the bins.

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The recycling sites have suffered from fly-tipping and vandalism which is costly to clear or, in the case of our damaged banks, replace.

Hence, the council has installed CCTV at its six recycling sites across the borough following funding from Department for Environment and Food and Rural Affairs.

The cameras act as a deterrent but also provide the council with vital information to take action against those people who fly-tip.