Robert Lloyd - a Sir Gar Blog of random news . . . and some Clecs!

Five people have been fined by council environmental enforcement officers for dropping cigarette ends. Fixed penalty notices for £75 were issued by officers for the littering offences. The first was to a woman in Ropewalk Road in Llanelli. Further fines were also issued to a woman in Carmarthen’s Tesco car park and to two women in the McDonald’s car park in Pensarn. Finally, officers issued a fixed penalty notice to a woman who threw a cigarette end from a car in Station Road, Glanamman. Failure to pay could result in prosecution in the magistrates court where the maximum fine is £2,500. Research carried out by Keep Wales Tidy shows that smoking-related litter is the most common type of litter found on streets. Figures for Carmarthenshire show that it makes up approximately 80% of our litter. Director of Environment Ruth Mullen said: “Keeping Carmarthenshire clean is a major priority. We do not want to fine people, but if they continue to break the law in this way then we have little...

Six people have been fined for dropping cigarette ends. Council environmental enforcement officers issued the fixed penalty notices for £75 for littering offences. A Trimsaran man, a woman from Swiss Valley and a woman from Burry Port were fined in separate incidents in Llanelli town centre and a further fine was issued to a man who dropped his cigarette in Coleshill Terrace, Llanelli. A Llansteffan man was caught by officers throwing a cigarette from a vehicle in Seaview Terrace, Burry Port; and a Pencader man was also fined for throwing a cigarette from a vehicle in Myrtle Hill, Carmarthen. Failure to pay could lead to court prosecution and a maximum fine of up to £2,500. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said the council had a zero tolerance approach to littering. Approximately 80% of litter on Carmarthenshire streets is smoking-related. Cllr Jones added: “Cigarette ends fall into grates and cracks in the pavement and cannot be removed b...

An Amman Valley woman has been fined £75 for dropping a cigarette end. Council environmental enforcement officers were on patrol in the Heol Gelynen area of Upper Brynamman at the time of the offence. She told the officers that she knew it was wrong to drop litter . She was issued with a fixed penalty notice. Failure to pay could lead to prosecution in court and a fine of up to £2,500. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said the council had a zero tolerance approach to littering. In particular, smoking-related litter can be found on around 80% of Carmarthenshire streets. Cllr Jones said: “Cigarette ends fall into grates and cracks in the pavement and cannot be removed by normal cleaning methods. “Hopefully this latest fine will help to raise awareness of the problem and deter people from dropping this type of litter.” Enforcement officers carry out regular patrols across the county.

Two people have been fined £75 for dropping cigarette ends. Council environmental enforcement officers issued the fixed penalty notices to the two men in Llandovery. They were on patrol in the area ta the time of the offences. Failure to pay the fixed penalty notices could lead to prosecution in court and a fine of up to £2,500. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said the council had a zero tolerance approach to littering. Smoking-related litter - predominantly made up of cigarette ends – can be found on around 80% of Carmarthenshire streets. Not only are cigarette ends difficult to clean up but they can affect the environment and wildlife by contaminating water supplies with toxic chemicals. Cllr Jones added: “Cigarette ends fall into grates and cracks in the pavement and cannot be removed by normal cleaning methods. “Hopefully these fines will help to raise awareness of the problem and deter people from dropping this type of litter. “Our e...

An Amman Valley woman has been fined £220 for dropping a cigarette end on the ground at Llanelli bus station. Helen Rebecca Stephens, aged 21, of Cwmamman Road, Garnant, failed to attend Carmarthen Magistrates Court and was convicted in absence to an offence contrary to Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. She was also ordered to pay £225.11 prosecution costs and a £22 victim surcharge. The court heard that on April 25 earlier this year council environmental enforcement officers were on patrol at Llanelli bus station when saw a woman who was sitting on a bench drop her cigarette end on to the ground. The officers waited five minutes but no attempt was made to pick it up. She was issued with a fixed penalty notice but failed to pay it, despite a reminder letter being sent. Discarded cigarette ends make up the largest proportion of litter in Carmarthenshire and are found on around 80 per cent of county streets.

Six people have been fined for dropping cigarette ends in Carmarthenshire. Carmarthenshire Council environmental enforcement officers issued the fixed penalty notices for £75 for the littering offences. Failure to pay could lead to court prosecution and a maximum fine of up to £2,500. The fines were issued to a female in the Co-op car park in Cross Hands; a male in McDonald’s car park in Parc Trostre, Llanelli; two males in the service station car park in Pont Abraham; and two males in Llanybydder. The enforcement officers carry out patrols across the county seven days a week and anyone caught dropping litter can be fined. Approximately 80% of litter in Carmarthenshire is smoking-related. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Discarded cigarette ends make up the largest proportion of litter in Carmarthenshire and not only do they look unpleasant but they are also very difficult and costly to clean up as they fall into grates and cracks i...

An Amman Valley woman has been fined £200 by magistrates after she was caught dropping a cigarette end on the ground. Michaela Jackson Griffiths, aged 39, of Heol Felen, Garnant, was also ordered to pay £200 prosecution costs and a £25 victim surcharge. Griffiths failed to attend Carmarthen Magistrates Court and the offence contrary to Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 was proved in her absence. The court heard that on March 5 earlier this year she was caught by council environmental enforcement officers dropping a cigarette end in Lloyd Street, Ammanford. Griffiths was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £75 for the litter offence but she failed to pay it. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “We are determined to clean up the county and will take action against anyone who is caught dropping any type of litter. “Cigarette ends in particular are a nuisance as not only do they look terrible but they are difficult and ...

Three people have been fined £75 for dropping cigarette ends. Council environmental enforcement officers issued the fixed penalty notices for dropping litter whilst on patrol in the Upper Brynamman and Llandeilo areas. Two women were caught by officers in the Black Mountain Centre car park in Upper Brynamman and a third woman was caught in Rhosmaen Street in Llandeilo. Failure to pay the fixed penalty notices could lead to prosecution in court and a fine of up to £2,500. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said the council had a zero tolerance approach to littering. “Our enforcement officers carry out regular patrols across the county and we will not hesitate to fine anyone we see dropping litter,” he said. “Cigarette ends are one of the most common types of litter found on our streets. They are also one of the most difficult and expensive to clean up as they fall into grates and cracks in the pavement and cannot be removed by normal cleaning...

Enforcement officers in Carmarthenshire are warning smokers to stub out their cigarettes wisely in a New Year blitz on smoking litter. Local businesses are also being urged to take action to stop smoking-related litter. The Environmental Protection Act (1990) gives powers to local authorities to take action against individuals and businesses who create litter, and to get areas cleaned up. Smokers who flout the law can be issued with an on-the-spot fixed penalty notice of £75, and if they fail to pay, they face a court appearance and a fine of up to £1,000. Executive board member for environmental and public protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “We have received a number of complaints about smoking-related litter in the town centres. “We are determined to improve the quality of the environment in Carmarthenshire for both residents and visitors and if that means fining people, then so be it. “It costs tax payers £2million a year to provide the service to clean the county’s streets, which is...

A Carway man has been fined £600 for throwing a cigarette onto the floor in Llanelli. Dean Ward, aged 30, of Maes y Wern, Carway, was convicted at Carmarthen Magistrates Court in his absence of an offence under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. He was also ordered to pay prosecution costs of £200 and a victim surcharge of £60. The court was told that environmental enforcement officers were on duty in Vaughan Street, Llanelli, on Wednesday February 26 when at about 11.20am they saw Ward standing outside the British Heart Foundation shop smoking a cigarette. They saw him finish the cigarette and throw the end on the floor before walking away. When they approached him and asked if he knew why he had been stopped he said ‘It’s obvious, isn’t it, you haven’t got anything better to do’, the court heard. He was given a Fixed Penalty Notice for £75 and when he did not pay this he was prosecuted. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones ...

A Llanelli man has been fined £110 for throwing his cigarette on the floor. Shannan Martin Thomas, aged 22, of Penyfan Road, Llanelli, was also ordered to pay £100 prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge by Carmarthen magistrates. He pleaded guilty by post in response to the summons issued against him for an offence under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The court heard that environmental enforcement officers saw a motorist at McDonald’s drive through discard his cigarette onto the floor. Thomas was cautioned for the offence and given a Fixed Penalty Notice for £75, and when asked why he had thrown the cigarette on the floor said: “I don’t know, I just done it.” He failed to pay the fixed penalty and was prosecuted. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Cigarette ends are not only unsightly but they get trapped in cracks in the pavement which makes them very difficult and costly to clean up. “We have a zero toler...

Smokers in Carmarthenshire are being urged to stub-out cigarette related litter in a new campaign. Council officers are working with pub landlords and restaurants across the county to encourage people to bin their butts. During the launch of the campaign, held at the The Stag in Five Roads, Llanelli, a sample of pocket ashtrays were given to the landlord and landlady in a bid to help reduce cigarette related litter at the premises. Enforcement officers will be visiting other hotspot areas across the county and handing out posters to premises which have problems with cigarette littering to remind smokers that if they’re caught littering they could get fined £75 or a maximum of £2,500 if prosecuted through the magistrates court. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection, Cllr Jim Jones, said: “Many people do not think of cigarette ends as litter, but it is. Dropping a cigarette end is no different from throwing away any other sort of litter. It makes the area look ...

Another two people have been fined by the council for smoking-related litter offences. A woman was issued with a fixed penalty notice for dropping a cigarette end along the Riverside Walk in Ammanford. Environmental enforcement officers also fined a man for a similar offence at Pensarn, Carmarthen. Research by Keep Wales Tidy shows that 83 per cent of litter found on the county’s streets smoking-related – and more and more people are getting fined for it. Failure to pay the fixed penalty notices could result in prosecution in the magistrates court where the maximum fine is £2,500. The council has an ongoing campaign to raise awareness of the problem of smoking-related litter and encourage people to put their cigarette butts in the bin. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Cigarette ends are not only unsightly but they get trapped in cracks in the pavement which means they are difficult to clean up and costly too. “Many people do not thi...

Another two people have been fined by Carmarthenshire council environmental enforcement officers for dropping cigarette ends. The first offence was in Carmarthen Street in Llandeilo and the second in Ammanford’s Tesco car park. Both women were issued with fixed penalty notices for £75 for dropping litter. Failure to pay could result in prosecution in the magistrates court and a maximum fine of up to £2,500. The council has a zero tolerance policy on litter and figures show that around 83% of all litter found on county streets is smoking-related. Cigarette ends make an area look untidy; they are also very difficult and costly to clean up as they fall into grates and cracks in the pavement making them almost impossible to remove by normal cleaning methods. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Dropping litter is against the law. Many people do not think of cigarette ends as litter, but they are no different from throwing away any other sor...

A Swansea man has been fined by Carmarthen magistrates after he was caught dropping a cigarette end in Llanelli town centre. Andrew Pardoe, aged 38, of Heaseland Place, Swansea, pleaded guilty by post to an offence contrary to Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The court heard that on June 7 last year he was seen by council environmental enforcement officers dropping his cigarette on to the ground outside Crown Buildings in Town Hall Square. He was issued with a fixed penalty notice for the offence, but he never paid it and has been prosecuted in court as a result. He was fined £100 by magistrates and ordered to pay £222.32 prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge. Figures show that around 83% of all litter found on the county’s streets is smoking-related. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Dropping litter is against the law and dropping a cigarette end is no different from throwing away any other sort of litter. “...

Dropping a cigarette has cost a Llanelli man more than £300. Simon Dennis, aged 30, of Brynawelon, was convicted in absence to an offence under Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 by Carmarthen magistrates. The court heard that he was seen by council environmental enforcement officers dropping a cigarette onto the ground whilst walking along Church Street on June 7 last year. He was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £75, but it was never paid. Dennis was fined £100 by magistrates and ordered to pay £222.32 prosecution costs plus a £20 victim surcharge. Executive Board Member for environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “I hope that this will act as a warning to others that anyone caught dropping litter, whether it is a cigarette end or any other type of litter, will be prosecuted. “Keeping Carmarthenshire clean and safe is a top priority for the council and we will not hesitate to take action against those who break the law in this way.” Enforcement...

A Carmarthen man has been fined £100 by magistrates after dropping a cigarette end outside the Red Cross shop in Lammas Street. Richard Jones, aged 31, of Parc Y Ffordd in Johnstown, was also ordered to pay £116.80 prosecution costs plus a £20 victim surcharge. He was convicted in absence to an offence contrary to Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Carmarthen Magistrates Court. The court heard that council environmental enforcement officers were on routine patrol in Carmarthen town centre on August 3 this year when they saw the defendant smoking a cigarette outside the Red Cross shop in Lammas Street. He finished the cigarette and then dropped the butt onto the ground. He was issued with a fixed penalty notice by the officers; however he failed to pay it, despite a reminder letter being sent. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Dropping litter is against the law and dropping a cigarette end is no different from throwi...

A Llanelli woman has been fined £100 for dropping a cigarette end. Kirsty Knight, aged 19, of Heol Tregoning in Morfa, was also ordered to pay £310.25 prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge by Carmarthen magistrates. She was convicted in absence for an offence contrary to Section 87 of The Environmental Protection Act 1990. The court heard that on July 18 this year council environmental enforcement officers were on duty in the Morfa area when they saw the defendant throw a cigarette end onto the ground before entering a corner shop. They waited for her to come out and then explained that she had committed a criminal offence by throwing litter and issued her with a fixed penalty notice for £75. However, no payment was received and she was prosecuted in court as a result. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Cigarette ends are not only unsightly but they get trapped in cracks in the pavement which makes them very difficult and costly ...

A Llanelli woman has been fined by magistrates after she was seen throwing a cigarette out of a car window. Kirsty Lee Harries, aged 27, of Trinity Road, was convicted in absence to a littering offence at Carmarthen Magistrates Court. The court heard that council environmental enforcement officers were parked in a council vehicle in Murray Street when a car pulled up and parked ahead of them. The female driver was seen throwing her cigarette out of the window before driving off. The officers followed the vehicle until it stopped in nearby Stepney Street and then spoke to the driver, explaining what they had seen. She was issued with a fixed penalty notice; however no payment was received despite a reminder letter being sent. Harries was fined £100 and ordered to pay £310.25prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge. Figures show that around 83% of all litter found on the county’s streets is smoking-related. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones...

A Carmarthen man must pay a total of £245 after dropping a cigarette end outside Coleg Sir Gar in Ammanford. Jake Rhys Thomas, aged 22, of Russell Terrace, Carmarthen, pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act at Carmarthen Magistrates Court. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that council environmental enforcement officers were on patrol in Station Road in Ammanford when they saw the male front seat passenger of a vehicle parked at the entrance of the college throw a cigarette end out of the window. He was issued with a fixed penalty notice for littering by the officers, however he failed to pay it within the specified time. Thomas was fined £75 by magistrates and ordered to pay £150 towards prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Dropping litter is against the law and dropping a cigarette end is no differ...