An LGA media campaign drew national attention
An LGA campaign this spring put a long-standing frustration for councils firmly in the national spotlight: in too many cases, fly-tippers taken to court are fined less than the penalties councils issue in the first place.
The campaign was built around new figures that show fly-tipping is still rising, with councils in England dealing with 1.26 million incidents in 2024/25.
At the same time, the average court fine was £539, compared with an average fixed penalty notice of £626 issued by councils.
For councils, low fines weaken deterrence, make enforcement harder to justify, and can leave authorities out of pocket after spending time and money investigating and prosecuting offences.
It also makes it harder to explain to residents why cases are being taken to court if the outcome is a lower penalty.
The issue itself is not new. The LGA has raised concerns about sentencing for fly-tipping for some time.
But this campaign was designed to do something different, by turning it into a clear, compelling national story, backed up by real examples from councils. Those examples were key to helping the issue cut through.
In York, two offenders were each fined £300 by magistrates, despite receiving fixed penalty notices of £600 and £1,000.
In Wiltshire, a fly-tipper who failed to pay a £1,000 penalty was fined just £80 in court.
In Chelmsford, two offenders were fined £300 each after prosecution, less than the £400 penalties originally issued.
These are not isolated cases. They reflect a wider pattern councils are seeing on the ground, where significant effort goes into pursuing offenders but the final outcome does not match the seriousness of the offence.
To maximise impact, the LGA combined national media work with coordinated local activity.
Alongside a national press release, councils were provided with a ready-made communications pack. This included a template press release, social media content, graphics and briefing lines, making it as easy as possible for councils to take part and highlight their own experiences. This coordinated approach helped create a strong national and local moment.
On launch day, the story led BBC Breakfast, with an LGA spokesperson interviewed alongside one from Wiltshire Council. The campaign also secured coverage on Sky News, LBC, BBC national radio and BBC regional outlets, and in the Daily Express. Local BBC stations linked up with councils for further interviews, helping extend the story across the country.
The campaign has also helped keep momentum on the issue. Since launch, the LGA has held two roundtables with councils on fly-tipping to gather further insight and build the case for change.
The Government’s Waste Crime Action Plan, published in March, includes a commitment to strengthen the approach to penalties and improve deterrence, which aligns with concerns raised by councils.
For councillors, the campaign is a strong example of how long-standing issues can gain wider attention when national data is combined with local experience and a coordinated communications approach.
It shows the value of working together across the sector to make a clear, consistent case for change.
- If you are interested in working more closely with the LGA on similar media campaigns, please get in touch by emailing mediaoffice@local.gov.uk.