People caught illegally dumping waste in Swindon could now face fines of up to £5,000.
The criminals wee put on notice after Swindon Borough Council introduced tougher penalties for fly-tipping offences.
The changes follow new Government regulations that came into force from September that allow local authorities to increase the maximum fixed penalty notice (FPN) for fly-tipping from £1,000 to £5,000.
The council has increased its FPN for fly-tipping from the previous maximum limit of £400 to £5,000 for the most serious offences.
The move comes as part of the council’s ongoing crackdown on environmental crime and follows more than 2,000 reports of fly-tipping across the borough since January 2026.
Fly-tipping is a criminal offence that blights neighbourhoods, harms the environment and costs taxpayers thousands of pounds every year to clear up.
The council’s Enviro Crime team investigates reports submitted by residents, gathers evidence and takes enforcement action against those responsible.
Cllr Kevin Parry, Swindon Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Recycling and Streetscene, said: "Since becoming Cabinet Member, I wanted to send a very clear message from day one: if you fly-tip in Swindon, we will come after you and you can expect to pay up to a £5,000 fine.
"Fly-tipping is not a minor inconvenience. It blights neighbourhoods, damages our environment and leaves ordinary taxpayers footing the bill to clear up other people's mess.
"We are taking a firm, common-sense approach that backs our communities, supports law-abiding residents and holds offenders accountable for their actions.
"Our Enviro Crime team is already identifying offenders and issuing fines, and we will continue to use every enforcement tool available to us to keep Swindon's streets, parks and public spaces clean."
Since January 2026, the Enviro Crime team has issued 49 fines at the previous £400 rate, resulting in penalties worth £19,600 being issued to offenders.
Residents are encouraged to continue to report fly-tipping through the Council’s website, helping enforcement officers identify offenders and build cases against those responsible.
The council is also reminding residents that they have a legal duty to ensure their waste is disposed of correctly.
Anyone paying another person to remove waste should check they are a registered waste carrier, as they could still be held responsible if their waste is later found to have been fly-tipped.
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