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

Carmarthenshire Council is investigating after receiving complaints of illegal posters advertising ‘Circus Vegas’ in Llanelli being put up across the county. The posters have been put on road signs, litter bins and bus shelters in towns and villages as far as Carmarthen. Environmental enforcement officers are now investigating to find the persons responsible for putting up the posters illegally. Fly-posting is a criminal offence and the council takes it very seriously as it can cause a litter problem and lead to possible road accidents. Posters attached to street furniture will have to be removed by the council thus incurring substantial clean-up costs. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said large commercial ventures should know better. “We want to remind people that it is an offence to affix illegal advertisements to any structure on the highway and we will take action against those responsible, and that includes big companies as well as ...

A Llanelli café owner has lost her appeal against fly-posting offences. Tracy Webb, aged 33, who runs Whispers Cafe in Swansea Road, was fined a total of £700 after being convicted of five separate offences under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990. As well as being fined £140 for each offence, she was ordered to pay prosecution costs of £2,158 following a trial at Carmarthen Magistrates Court. Webb appealed and the case was heard at Swansea Crown Court where it was dismissed and she was ordered to pay further prosecution costs of £1,200. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said he was pleased with the verdict of the court. “Fly-posting is a criminal offence and this sends the clear message that it will not be tolerated,” Cllr Jones said. Fly-posting is displaying adverts and other promotional materials without permission, for example, on buildings, lampposts, railings and litter bins. The council’s fly-posting policy does have exceptions...

A man has been fined £75 for fly-posting on lampposts in Carmarthenshire. The council’s environmental enforcement officers issued the fixed penalty notice to the man for putting up the posters along the A48, A40 and A476 main roads. Failure to pay could lead to prosecution in the magistrates court. It is hoped the fine will help to raise awareness that fly-posting is a criminal offence. The council has a fly-posting policy in place to help keep the county clean and to stop unfair advertising. Fly-posting also has the potential to distract motorists and cause accidents. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Fly-posting is displaying adverts and other promotional materials without permission, for example, on buildings, lampposts, railings and litter bins, mainly by business that want free advertising. “They make an area look untidy and if not removed the posters slowly rot, becoming even more unsightly and causing litter. “They also have th...

A man has been fined £100 and ordered to pay £227.58 court costs for an offence of fly-posting. Anthony Stanley Matthews pleaded guilty by post to an offence contrary to Section 224 of the Town and Country Planning Act 1990 at Ammanford Magistrates Court. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that on Saturday, September 10, 2011 the council’s environmental enforcement officers were on duty in Ffairfach, near Llandeilo, were they saw a number of posters attached to road signs advertising a rug and garden furniture sale in Llandovery. As the officers continued along the A483 towards Llandeilo they saw more of the posters, with an increasing number along Rhosmaen Street, and some of which were now littering the pavements. As they travelled along the A40 from Llandeilo to Llangadog and into Llandovery they saw more than 100 posters affixed to various structures along the highway. Using their powers under Section 132 of the Highways Act the offic...

A new stand against fly-posting has been launched in Carmarthenshire. Council officers will remove any unauthorised signs and anyone caught could get an on-the-spot fine of £75 or a fine of up to £2,500 if prosecuted in court. The policy has been introduced to help clean up the county, stop unfair advertising and because it could potentially be a hazard to motorists. There will be some exemptions, however, for public bodies, community groups and registered charities, although these will be subject to a number of conditions, for example, in relation to safety issues. Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Philip Hughes said: “Fly-posting is displaying adverts and other promotional materials without permission, for example, on buildings, lampposts, railings, litter bins and elsewhere in public, mainly by business that want free advertising. “They make an area look messy and untidy and if not removed the posters slowly rot, becoming even more unsightly and causing litter. They al...