POWERS to prosecute the registered keepers of vehicles if litter has been thrown from them should be introduced in Wales, a council has said.
At present councils can only issue fines to someone seen throwing litter from a vehicle, if they have evidence to support the accusation, but Monmouthshire councillors have backed a call to allow the registered keeper of a vehicle to be prosecuted, or fined, if anyone throws litter from it.
Usk and Llanbadoc independent councillor Meirion Howells brought the suggestion to the full council’s most recent meeting and said the current law means it is difficult to prove who has thrown litter, from a vehicle, and the changes he proposed have already been introduced in England.
Conservative councillor for Llanfoist and Govilon, Tomos Davies, welcomed the motion and the chance it could give the authority to address the source of road side litter which many councillors said is often cleared by volunteers.
“We as councillors owe volunteers more than thanks we owe you some action,” said Cllr Davies who said the council had issued no fixed penalties for littering last year.
He also suggested the Welsh Government should pilot a scheme to allow drivers to upload dashcam footage if they’ve captured litter being thrown from vehicles to be used as evidence which he said is already being done in neighbouring Gloucestershire.
Cllr Davies also said the frequency of grass cutting on verges should be increased as a way of addressing litter and suggested applying “subtle pressure” on community councils that could help fund additional road sweeping machines.
Council deputy leader, Labour’s Paul Griffiths, said he is a former board member of Keep Wales Tidy and is still a volunteer litter picker and would like the Welsh Government to address litter from takeaways, providing “fast food on the hoof”, without punishing businesses that provide dine in services.
The motion was passed and as well as requiring the council’s cabinet member for climate change, Catrin Maby, asks the Welsh Government to introduce legislation to prosecute registered keepers requests guidance is issued to councils on how they could use the powers and provide them with the resources to do so.
