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

A woman has been fined £75 for failing to clean up after her dog on Pendine beach. Council environmental enforcement officers were on duty in the area at the time of the offence and issued the fixed penalty notice. Officers saw a man and woman walking a dog each on a lead. The dog in the woman’s control defecated. Officers then saw the woman kick sand over the faeces and walk away making no attempt to remove it. She was then issued with the £75 fixed penalty notice. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Pendine beach is popular with families and children and dog mess left anywhere is a serious health risk. “This offence happened on a day which was warm and sunny and there were lots of people on the beach including children. Burying dogs mess in the sand does not constitute its removal and I would like to remind the public that this is unacceptable.” Residents are being urged to play their part and help the council catch those responsible...

A man has been ordered to pay more than £700 by magistrates after being convicted of fly-tipping on Glanamman mountain. Matthew Benjamin Walters pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to Section 33 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Carmarthen Magistrates Court. The court heard that on April 26 last year council environmental enforcement officers received a complaint of fly-tipping on Glanamman mountain. The officers attended the scene along with Dyfed Powys Police officers and found two large deposits of general household rubbish, approximately 200 meters apart. Evidence was found linking the rubbish to Walters, of Scud-Yr-Afon in Aberdulais. He was subsequently interviewed by the officers and admitted dumping the waste. The 20-year-old was fined £200 by magistrates and ordered to pay £500 towards prosecution costs and a £20 victim surcharge. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “Fly-tipping is a criminal offence; not only is it a...

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...

An Ammanford man has been fined by magistrates for fly-tipping furniture outside a charity shop in the town. Ronnie James Carroll dumped a load of furniture including an old wardrobe, TVs, a bed and mattress outside Barnardos in Carregamman Road after the shop was closed. He was spotted by an eye witness and the information was passed on to the council’s environmental enforcement officers who carried out an investigation. Carroll, aged 47, of Swn-Y-Nant, Nantyglyn Road, Glanaman, pleaded guilty to four offences under the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Carmarthen Magistrates Court. He was fined a total of £420 (£105 for each offence) as well as prosecution costs of £567.23, £60 in compensation to Barnardos and a £20 victim surcharge. The offences occurred in September and October of last year. So much furniture was left on the second occasion that staff couldn’t get into the shop to open it up. The furniture was also ruined by the rain which meant it could not be sold and t...

A Carmarthen man has been fined after bags of rubbish belonging to him were found fly-tipped. Carwyn Evans, aged 39, of Heol Glasfryn, Peniel, was fined £400 and ordered to pay prosecution costs of £498.37 (including clean up costs of £396.65) and a £40 victim surcharge. He pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Carmarthen Magistrates Court. The court heard that on Thursday, June 13 officers from Natural Resources Wales were working at forestry near Llanllawddog when they found 15 black bags of rubbish. They contacted the environmental enforcement section and an investigation was carried out. Evidence was found linking the rubbish to Evans who lived just over four miles from the location of the fly-tipping. He told officers that he had given the rubbish to a man in a white van to dispose of and admitted that he had not checked whether he was a registered waste carrier. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protectio...

The first litter fine for chewing gum has been issued in Carmarthenshire. Council environmental enforcement officers have issued a fixed penalty notice for £75 to a woman at McDonald’s in Cross Hands. Officers were on duty in the area and saw the woman take the chewing gum from her mouth and throw it onto the ground. They continued to observe her to give her a chance to pick it up; however, she then lit up a cigarette and after finishing it, threw that onto the ground as well. Failure to pay the fine could lead to prosecution in the magistrates court and a maximum fine of up to £2,500. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said: “This is the first fine that we have issued specifically for chewing gum litter. Our enforcement officers have to carry out patrols across the county and it can be very difficult to catch people in the act. “Obviously we don’t want to fine people; we would prefer they don’t drop litter in the first place, but if they fail...

A Neath man has been prosecuted by Carmarthenshire County Council for illegally carrying scrap metal. Percy McAllister, aged 21, of Wharf Road Caravan Site, Briton Ferry Industrial Estate, Neath, pleaded guilty to an offence contrary to Section 34 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Carmarthen Magistrates Court. The court heard that police and council environmental enforcement officers stopped a Ford Transit Van carrying an exercise bike and metal shavings in Cross Hands as part of a multi-agency operation targeting scrap metal dealers. The officers spoke to the driver and asked if he was registered with the Environment Agency as a waste carrier. He provided details of his brother’s permit number, who was the passenger in the vehicle. He was then asked if he had any waste transfer notes for the scrap on the rear of the vehicle. He replied that he did not. McAllister was cautioned and told that the matter would be referred to the council’s legal department for consideration of ...

Five people have been fined £75 by council environmental enforcement officers for dropping cigarette ends. The fixed penalty notices for littering were issued to a man and two women in North Road in Whitland, a woman in Guildhall Square, Carmarthen and a woman in Pentre Road, St Clears. All four were seen dropping the cigarette butts onto the ground and walking away. Failure to pay could result in prosecution in the magistrate’s court and a maximum fine of £2,500. Executive Board Member for Environmental and Public Protection Cllr Jim Jones said enforcement officers regularly carried out patrols across the county. He added: “Anyone caught throwing litter will be fined. Cigarette ends in particular are very difficult and costly to clean up as they fall into grates and cracks in the pavement and are almost impossible to remove by normal cleaning. “The council is taking a firm stand against littering as well as dog fouling. Hopefully people will take notice of these latest fines and think...

A woman who posted pictures of herself on Facebook desecrating a wall with graffiti has been fined by council. The 33-year-old, who cannot be named, was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £75 for the offence under Towy Bridge in Carmarthen. The council’s environmental enforcement officers received a complaint from a member of the public and were informed there were pictures on Facebook. The culprit was traced and interviewed by officers and as it was a minor offence and she admitted full liability, she was offered a fixed penalty notice instead of prosecution in court. She also agreed to wash the graffiti off the walls herself. The council now hopes this fine will act as a warning to others that anyone caught defacing property in this way will be prosecuted. Graffiti is an offence under the Criminal Damage Act 1971 and if the value of criminal damage exceeds £5,000 the maximum penalty for those aged 18 or over is 10 years in prison and for those aged 12-17 a detention and training ...

A woman has been fined for dropping a cigarette end in Carmarthen town centre. The council’s environmental enforcement officers issued the fixed penalty notice for £75 to the 28-year-old in John Street. Failure to pay could result in prosecution in the magistrates court and a maximum fine of up to £2,500. The council hopes the fine will act as a warning to others that those caught throwing litter will be prosecuted. It follows a campaign to raise awareness of smoking-related litter as research shows that discarded cigarette ends make up the largest proportion of litter in Carmarthenshire with 83 per cent of litter found on the county’s streets smoking-related. Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said: “There is no excuse for littering our streets. Many people do not think of cigarette ends as litter, but they are. They make an area look unsightly and they are difficult and very expensive to clean up as the ends fall into grates and cracks in the pavement which makes them alm...

A man has been fined for failing to clean up after his dog at a popular Llanelli leisure spot. He was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £75 by the council’s environmental enforcement officers at Dafen pond. Failure to pay the fixed penalty could result in prosecution in the magistrates court and a maximum fine of up to £1,000. Carmarthenshire County Council is working hard to tackle the problem of dog fouling and enforcement officers regularly carry out patrols across the county. Dog fouling is one of the main causes of complaint from residents and it is hoped this latest fine will act as warning to others. Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said: “This area is used for recreation and leisure by families as well as for walking dogs. Dog mess left anywhere is a serious health risk and anyone caught failing to clean up after their pets will be issued with a fixed penalty. We do not want to fine people but we have no choice if people continue to flout the law in this way....

A woman has been fined for failing to clean up after her dog at a popular Gwendraeth Valley park. The dog owner was issued with the fixed penalty notice for £75 at Mynydd Mawr Woodland Park near Tumble. The council’s environmental enforcement officers were on patrol at the council-run attraction following complaints of owners not clearing up after their pets. Failure to pay could result in prosecution in the magistrates court and a maximum fine of up to £1,000. Dog fouling is one of the main causes of complaint from residents to Carmarthenshire County Council. The council is working hard to tackle the problem of dog fouling and enforcement officers regularly carry out patrols across the county. Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said: “Mynydd Mawr Woodland Park is used for recreation and leisure by families as well as for walking dogs and it is only fair that people should be able to enjoy the park free of dog mess. “Dog mess left anywhere is a serious health risk; the cou...

A woman has been fined for dumping a black bag next to a bus shelter in Bancycapel. She was issued with a fixed penalty notice for £75 for the offence by council environmental enforcement officers. Failure to pay could result in prosecution in the magistrates court and a fine of up to £2,500. The council hopes this will now act as a warning to others that dropping litter or fly-tipping of any kind will not be tolerated. The council has launched a spring clean-up campaign; and with the Olympic flame travelling through Carmarthenshire later this month, we want a county we can be proud of. The aim is to encourage people to dispose of their rubbish more responsibly and raise awareness of the effect litter and fly-tipping has on the environment. Director of Technical Services Richard Workman said: “Dropping litter and fly-tipping is against the law. Not only does it spoil our quality of life and enjoyment of the environment, but it can cause serious pollution and harm to human health and wi...

A Llanelli man has been fined £345 and ordered to pay £156 court costs for illegally carrying scrap metal. Stacey Williams Janes, aged 26, of Brynawelon, pleaded guilty at Carmarthen Magistrates Court to offences contrary to the Environmental Protection Act 1990, the Control of Pollution (Amendment) Act 1989 and the Environmental Protection Act 1995. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that Janes was stopped by police in a Ford Transit lorry near junction 48 on the M4 on Friday, July 29 as part of a multi-agency operation targeting scrap metal dealers in Carmarthenshire. The vehicle was carrying a number of items of scrap metals. Enquiries made by the council’s environmental enforcement officers with Environment Agency Wales revealed that Janes was not a registered waste carrier. The court also heard that Janes had been stopped by police just two weeks prior to this incident, again carrying various scrap metal. On this occasion he failed ...

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 Gwendraeth Valley man has been fined £175 and ordered to pay £264.71 court costs for leaving boxes on the ground by the recycling banks in Cross Hands. Marlon Smith, aged 21, of Heol Y Parc, Cefneithin, was convicted in his absence for an offence contrary to Section 87 Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Llanelli Magistrates Court. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that on Wednesday, July 6, 2011, the council’s environmental enforcement officers were on dutyat Cross Hands Business Park where they saw a vehicle which was parked up near the recycling banks in the Co-operative car park. The officers saw a male taking cardboard box from the boot of the vehicle and placing bottles into one of the recycling banks. When he had finished emptying each box, he left them on the ground. He then picked up some boxes from the pile on the ground, walked between the recycling banks, left them on the ground and got into the vehicle. Smith was issued w...

A man has been fined £175 and ordered to pay court costs of £264.71 after dropping a cigarette end in Llanelli town centre. David John Benson was convicted in absence of an offence contrary to Section 87 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 at Ammanford Magistrates Court. The prosecution was brought by Carmarthenshire County Council. The court heard that the council’s environmental enforcement officers who were on patrol in the town centre back in June when they saw a male talking on the phone and smoking a cigarette. He then dropped the cigarette end on to the ground. The officers approached the man and explained that he had committed an offence. Benson, aged 61, of Grove House, Tewkesbury Road, Upton Upon Severn, Worcestershire, was issued with a fixed penalty notice of £75. However, he failed to pay it within the specified time and was prosecuted through the courts as a result. Council Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Philip Hughes said: “There is no excuse for li...

A Llanelli man has been prosecuted for failing to comply with a Notice served under the Environment Act. John Michael Murphy was convicted in his absence at Ammanford Magistrates Court. The court heard that on February 24, 2011, police stopped a Red Iveco Daily pickup carrying controlled waste in the form of scrap metal. The driver was identified as 20-year-old Michael Anthony Murphy, of Pen-y-Bryn Caravan Park Llanelli. Michael Murphy was asked if he could provide a waste carrier's licence and replied that he did not because of the children. The information was forwarded onto the Environmental Enforcement Office in Cillefwr depot. It was known that Michael Anthony Murphy did not live at the address given. Enquiries were made regarding his whereabouts. Enquiries showed that John Michael Murphy, of Penybryn Caravan Park, was the registered keeper of the vehicle. A Notice was served on him on March 11 asking for the contact details of the person driving the vehicle on February 24. ...

A man has been fined £75 after being caught throwing litter from a car window at the McDonald’s car park in Carmarthen. The council’s environmental enforcement officers were on duty in the area and issued the 36-year-old man from Llanarth with a fixed penalty notice. Failure to pay could lead to prosecution in the magistrates court where the maximum fine that can be imposed is £2,500. The council hopes this latest fine will act as a warning to would-be litterbugs that this type of anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. It follows a county-wide ‘Bin It’ campaign, supported by McDonald’s, to encourage people to dispose of their litter more responsibly. Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Philip Hughes said: “Dropping litter is against the law, whether it is discarding rubbish from a vehicle, throwing cigarette ends or spitting out chewing gum. If there are no bins nearby, then take your rubbish home with you to dispose of. “We work closely with McDonald’s and other fast...

Two people have been fined for dropping litter near Pibwrlwyd in Carmarthen. A 17-year-old female and 21-year-old male were issued with fixed penalty notices for £75 by the council’s environmental enforcement officers. Failure to pay could result in prosecution in the magistrates court and a fine of up to £2,500. The officers were on patrol in the area following complaints from residents. It is now hoped these fines will act as a warning to others that this type of anti-social behaviour will not be tolerated. It also follows a county-wide ‘Bin It’ campaign to encourage people to dispose of their litter more responsibly. Executive Board Member for the Environment Cllr Philip Hughes said: “Dropping litter is against the law, whether it is discarding rubbish from a vehicle, throwing cigarette ends or spitting out chewing gum. “If there are no bins nearby, then take your rubbish home with you to dispose of. We do not want to fine people but we are determined to clean up Carmarthenshire and...