Recent action taken against environmental offences

We use our legal powers to the full to prosecute offenders where appropriate. Here are some of the recent actions we have taken.

Recent enforcement action under the Environmental Protection Act

January 2021	19 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
December 2020	13 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
November 2020	24 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
October 2020	19 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
September 2020	24 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
August 2020	43 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
July 2020	31 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc
June 2020	28 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc
May 2020	10 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
April 2020	32 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
March 2020	23 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
February 2020	36 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
January 2020	40 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
December 2019	22 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
November 2019	20 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
October 2019	20 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for waste, litter offences etc.
September 2019	20 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences, unlicensed street trading etc.
August 2019	23 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences, unlicensed street trading etc.
July 2019	14 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences, unlicensed street trading etc.
June 2019	36 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences, unlicensed street trading etc.
May 2019	36 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences, unlicensed street trading etc.
April 2019	32 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences, unlicensed street trading etc.
March 2019	16 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences, unlicensed street trading etc.
February 2019	28 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences, unlicensed street trading etc.
January 2019	17 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences, unlicensed street trading etc.
December 2018	Deptford business owner convicted at Bromley Magistrates Court for failing to produce his waste disposal documents. Fine and costs – including victim surcharge – were £2,655.
November 2018	15 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
October 2018	25 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
September 2018	20 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
August 2018	45 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
July 2018	22 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
June 2018	23 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
May 2018	41 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences, etc.
April 2018	35 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
March 2018	26 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
August 2017	7 £300 Fixed Penalty Notices issued to business owners that failed to provide documentation to show they have correct waste disposal arrangements in place.
August 2017	11 £400 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for fly-tipping offences.
March 2017	A land owner was convicted at Bromley Magistrates Court for failure to comply with a notice to remove controlled waste from his land. The offender was fined £1000 plus 10% for each day the failure continues and £410 costs.
August 2016	12 £400 Waste Deposit fixed penalty notices issued borough wide (flytipping).
July 2016	12 £400 Waste Deposit fixed penalty notices issued borough wide (flytipping).
June 2016	Four £400 Waste Deposit fixed penalty notices issued borough wide (flytipping).
November 2015	100 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
October 2015	77 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
September 2015	111 fixed penalty notices issued borough wide for waste, litter offences etc.
August 2015	Mobile waste operation in Lewisham, Ladywell, Catford, Deptford, New Cross, Sydenham and Forest Hill. A number of notices and fixed penalties issued. Total fixed penalty figure likely to finally be in region of £3000.
August 2015	Litter Enforcement Operation carried out in Blackheath and Lewisham Central. 11x fixed penalty notices issued.
February 2015	Litter Enforcement Operation carried out with Met. Police. Four fixed penalty notices issued.
February 2015	Mobile waste operation in Lewisham, Blackheath, Ladywell, Catford, Deptford, New Cross, Sydenham and Forest Hill. A number of notices and fixed penalties issued. Total fixed penalty figure likely to finally be in region of £2,500.
November 2014	As a result of a waste enforcement operation a number of businesses were issued fixed penalty notices for waste offences.
October 2014	Public Health and Nuisance officers stopped an illegal music event by serving a pre-emptive noise abatement notice on the owner and occupiers of the premises.
October 2014	The owner of a Vauxhall Astra parked in Woodlands Street was served with a noise abatement notice for allowing their car alarm to cause nuisance to residents.
September 2014	A resident of Wood Vale was served with a noise abatement notice after officers from the Public Health and Nuisance team witnessed music being played at a statutory nuisance level.
September 2014	A resident of Belmont Hill was served with a noise abatement notice after officers from the Public Health and Nuisance team witnessed music being played at a statutory nuisance level.
September 2014	A waste enforcement operation took place that resulted in domestic waste warnings and business owners being served enforcement notices. One business is likely to face prosecution for fly-tipping.
August 2014	A night time waste enforcement operation took place in the New Cross area. The operation resulted in a significant number of enforcement notices (including fixed penalties).
July 2014	A waste operation took place in Lewisham High Street and Lee High Road. A number of business owners were served with enforcement notices.
July 2014	A Lewisham home owner was convicted of failing to respond to a request for information under section 108 Environment Act 1995 (flytipping investigation). Fine and costs of £981.20.
June 2014	An Estate Agent was convicted at Bromley Magistrates Court of failing to produce waste documents. Fine and costs £957.40.
June 2014	The Clean Streets (Enforcement) Team carried out a weekend waste operation in Deptford and are now dealing with a number of businesses for waste offences.
June 2014	A large quantity of flytipping on private land at two separate locations in Brockley was removed after enforcement action was taken against the land owners.
June 2014	A noise abatement notice was served by the Public Health and Nuisance Team on a premises in Sydenham for an intruder alarm that had been sounding disturbing neighbours . A forced entry was made and the alarm silenced and costs charged back onto the owner.
June 2014	A forced entry was made by the Public Health and Nuisance Team into a commercial premises in Deptford after its intruder alarm sounded in the early hours of the morning. All costs were charged back onto the owner.
May 2014	The Public Health and Nuisance Team took part in Operation CONDOR with the Metropolitan Police targeting unlicensed premises and activities occurring across the borough in the early hours of the weekend.
May 2014	A Noise Abatement Notice under section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 notice was served on some residents in Crofton Park for regularly playing loud, intrusive music.
April 2014	A large quantity of flytipping was cleared from Lewisham Tesco car park. This was cleared as a result of a written warning being issued under section 59 Environmental Protection Act 1990.
April 2014	A Noise Abatement Notice under section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 was served on the landlord of a commercial unit in Lee after police intelligence was passed to the Public Health and Nuisance Team of an illegal rave. Due to the Council’s intervention, the rave was cancelled.
April 2014	A Noise Abatement Notice under section 80 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 notice was served on a property in Brockley. Working in partnership with the Metropolitan Police Service, Lewisham Homes, Lewisham Adult Services and the occupiers’ family this ongoing noise issue was resolved without the need for further formal action.
March 2014	A New Cross resident was convicted of flytipping in Landmann Way contrary to section 33 (1) Environmental Protection Act 1990. The offender was fined £100 and ordered to pay costs of £295 plus a £15 victim surcharge.
March 2014	A restaurant owner in Brockley was responsible for waste having been flytipped and was found to have committed a duty of care offence contrary to Section 34 Environmental Protection Act 1990. The offender was issued with a £300 fixed penalty notice.
January 2014	A nuisance car alarm in Forest Hill led to enforcement action by Public Health and Nuisance officers. The officers made all reasonable steps to contact the owner, however to ensure residents did not suffer from noise nuisance, the officers had the car towed and placed in secure storage. The Council’s costs have been passed onto the owner of the vehicle.

Recent enforcement action under the Public Health Act

October 2014	A property deemed to be filthy and verminous by a Public Health and Nuisance officer was cleared of all hoarded items.
May 2014	A notice was served on a property in a block in Catford following a complaint of a water leak. The offending flat was found to be in a state prejudicial to health and a fire hazard. A notice was served under the Public Health Act 1936. All items were removed, the flat cleaned down and the leak repaired.
March 2014	Following complaints of a mouse infestation in New Cross, officers found a property in a state that would encourage mice and evidence of an infestation throughout the property. The officers served a legal notice and obtained a warrant to force entry from the Magistrate’s Court. A major clean-up operation and treatment of the property was completed.

Recent enforcement action under the Building Act

October 2014	A resident of Woolstone Road was served with a notice for defective drainage by an officer from the Public Health and Nuisance team.
April 2014	After a thorough investigation by the Public Health and Nuisance Team a notice under the Building Act 1984 was served on a property in Brockley due to a soil pipe leaking raw sewage into a neighbouring property. A break in the sewer pipe was found. Subsequent remedial work involved relining the pipes. No further leakage of raw sewage has been reported.
January 2014	A notice was served on a property in Ladywell due to a blockage in the sewer which was causing sewage to flood into a basement. Following a comprehensive investigation the cause was found to be a large build up of fat and grease. Public Health and Nuisance officers visited a number of commercial units in the immediate area to educate them on possible prosecution action should they dispose of fat and oil into the main sewer. Since that time, no further reports of flooding to the complainant’s basement have been received.

Recent enforcement action under the Clean Neighbourhood and Environment Act (Alarms)

January 2014

Enforcement Action was taken against a nuisance house alarm in Beckham Hill Road. The out-of-hours Public Health and Nuisance officers witnessed the alarm and tried to make contact with the occupier of the property. When this was unsuccessful they served a notice under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. A engineer disabled the alarm. The Council’s costs were forwarded on to the owner.

Recent enforcement action under the London Local Authorities Act

January 2021	1 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offence
December 2020	4 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences
November 2020	4 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences
October 2020	1 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offence
September 2020	1 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offence
August 2020	7 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences
July 2020	1 Fixed Penalty Notice for street trading offence
May 2020	8 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences.
April 2020	14 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences.
March 2020	6 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences.
February 2020	5 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences.
January 2020	0 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences.
December 2019	4 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences.
November 2019	2 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences.
October 2019	5 Fixed Penalty Notices for street trading offences.
September 2019	Two fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
August 2019	Six fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
June 2019	One fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
April 2019	Two fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
March 2019	Seven fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
February 2019	Five fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
January 2019	Seven fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
September 2018	Seven fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
August 2018	Four fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
July 2018	Five fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
June 2018	Three fixed penalty notices issued for street trading offences.
August 2017	10 £150 Fixed Penalty Notices issued for unlicensed trading outside of shops.
January 2015	Shop owner was convicted of unlicensed street trading. Fine £375 Costs £393.60.
January 2015	Shop owner convicted of breaching street trading licence conditions. Fine £200 Costs £100.
January 2015	Shop owner was convicted of unlicensed street trading. Fine £575 Costs £400.
November 2014	During enforcement operation a number of licensed street traders were issued with fixed penalty notices for licence breaches.

Recent enforcement action under the Control of Pollution Act

November 2015	Roadside operation with the Metropolitan Police. Notices issued to a number of waste carriers for production of waste licence and waste transfer documents (written descriptions).
September 2014	The Clean Streets (Enforcement) team carried out a mobile waste carrier operation with the Metropolitan Police Traffic Section. A number of enforcement notices were served.
June 2014	A Lewisham waste carrier failed to produce their authority to transport controlled waste. The offender was issued with a fine of £300, costs of £250 and a victim surcharge of £30.
March 2014	A Lewisham waste carrier carrying scrap metal failed to produce their authority to transport waste. The offender was issued with a £300 fixed penalty notice.

Recent enforcement action under the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act

March 2017	21 abandoned vehicles dealt with on public land in a single day.
February 2017	Five abandoned vehicles were removed as part of an operation.
April 2016	Vehicle Enforcement Operation: 12 vehicles were removed using Abandoned Vehicle and DVLA devolved powers in New Cross.

Published on: 03/01/2023