Litter-picking enthusiast taken to task by council for using bin
A litter-picking enthusiast who is so devoted to keeping the streets clean that he spends an hour every day tidying up rubbish himself was stunned to find himself fined £75 for putting refuse in a bin.
Council officials accused David Baker, 39, of fly-tipping because they said he had used a public street bin to deposit a pizza box and junk mail – considered illegal as this is classed as “domestic waste”.
The former geologist has gathered tonnes of rubbish dropped by strangers over the last six years, winning awards for his efforts, after becoming fed up with litter piling up near his town centre flat.
He described his fine as “bureaucracy gone mad” and said the council seemed so “desperate for money” it would fine anybody.
Mr Baker said: “I think that it is completely outrageous that I should be fined for actually cleaning rubbish off the streets.
“How can people who actually want to put rubbish in the bin be fined? To claim that what I put in the bin amounts to fly-tipping is crazy.
“I moved to a town centre flat six years ago and got fed up with all the rubbish in the street.
“I look after all the plants and dead head them daily and I go around picking up rubbish.
“I fill a carrier bag or two a day and I go out most days of the year - unless I'm on holiday.
“I am out at least an hour every day and do it all for free. I just think the council are desperate for money and have a mentality of fining people for anything at the moment.”
Councillor Tracy Wood said: “Our enforcement officers issued a fixed penalty fine to Mr Baker in Stourbridge, after they found his domestic waste and letters in the litter bin on a number of occasions.
“However, we will be reviewing the fine and speaking to Mr Baker directly to discuss it.”
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/newstop ... g-bin.html
