The number of fines handed out by Caerphilly County Borough Council has risen five-fold over the last two years.
According to information released by the authority itself, fixed penalty notices for littering and dog fouling offences shot up by 406%.
So far this year, 191 fixed penalty notices of £75 for littering have been issued along with 52 fixed penalty notices of £75 for dog fouling offences.
During the same period in 2011, there were 57 fixed penalty notices for littering and 35 for dog fouling, whilst 2010 saw 29 and 19 respectively.
Gwent Police’s Community Support Officers were also recently given the power to fine people guilty of littering and dog fouling.
Cllr David Poole, cabinet member for community and leisure services, said: “Littering and dog fouling are both inexcusable offences, which we are adamant to stamp out.
“Although we are pleased to have caught more guilty offenders, it is a sad statistic to note that littering and dog fouling are still a problem in our beautiful borough. Anyone who is caught failing to dispose of litter correctly or dog fouling will be issued with a fixed penalty notice of £75, and failure to pay this will result in the matter being pursued through the courts.”
The matter of fixed penalties fines issued by employees of the council is obscene, disproportionate and flawed with policial suicide, particularly when inane statement are made at every opportunity by a high ranking Cabinet Members lauding and applauding the fact that some faceless jobsworth has sharpened his pencil, and, learned to write more that half a dozen words in a row to enable the council to fine a citizen.
Surely, it would be better to PREVENT these incidents by educating and `advising` the public not humiliating them with the help of ` friendly` local magistrates, do the council want the money, or do they want to STOP these "inexcusable offences" happening? I suspect they want the money.