Colchester Council has issued £550,000 in littering fines since 2023

Information obtained by the Gazette shows there have been 3,338 instances when council wardens have issued fines for littering, although only one of those offences related to dog fouling.

Between 2023 and 2024, £356,400 was collected and between 2024 to the present day, a total of £217,500 has been collected.

The current fine for littering is £150 and dog fouling is £100.

Determined – Colchester resident and self-confessed litter warrior, Nina Merrett, at Old Heath Recreation Ground (Image: Colchester Council)

A spokesman for Colchester Council said: “Keeping Colchester clean and safe is a shared responsibility, and we’re grateful to the many residents who support our efforts.

"The £500,000 in fines issued over the past two years reflects our commitment to tackling littering and environmental offences head-on, but also shows the scale of the issue we continue to address.

"The drop in fines issued in 2024–25 could be a promising sign that our enforcement activity and educational efforts – such as action days – are having a positive impact.

"It may also reflect growing public awareness and a stronger sense of environmental responsibility, which is exactly what we strive to encourage.

"That said, our enforcement team remains active and continues to issue fines whenever offences are observed."

Colchester Council also explained why only one fine had been handed out for dog fouling since 2023.

A spokesman said: "Dog fouling remains one of the most frustrating offences for us to deal with, as it is notoriously difficult to catch in the act.

"The presence of uniformed officers often acts as a deterrent, further reducing the chances of witnessing an offence.

"We rely on residents to report recurring issues through our website so our team can be in the right place at the right time.

"We’re committed to working with the community to make Colchester cleaner and greener for everyone."

Councillor Amy Kirkby-Taylor (Image: Amy Kirkby-Taylor) Councillor for Castle ward, Amy Kirkby-Taylor, said: “It’s eye-opening, but it’s a perennial problem and one of the reasons why people do litter is because they stop feeling they have a stake in the community.

“They stop feeling like it’s their town so we need to all play our part.

“The number of fines handed out may act as a deterrent but what it also shows is something fundamentally needs to be done for people to feel they are a stake in the community.”