Croydon Council has significantly increased the fines for fly-tipping, raising them to £1,000 in an effort to combat the persistent issue across the borough.
The decision was announced during a Croydon Council meeting on Wednesday 16 July 2025, where concerns about fly-tipping in areas like Thornton Heath were addressed. The council acknowledged that addressing fly-tipping is a key Mayoral Priority.
To tackle the issue, the council is stepping up enforcement using better tools, smarter technology, and targeted action to restore pride in streets and public spaces. The council's new enforcement model includes education where it's needed, and action where it's not. The council is engaging with the public on the introduction of a new Environmental Enforcement policy including a dedicated Community Compliance Team. They will target repeat hotspots and support private landowners to ensure action is taken.
Councillor Scott Roche, Cabinet Member for Streets and Environment, stated that the council is engaging with the public on the new enforcement policy, which includes increasing Fixed Penalty Notices for fly-tipping from £400 to £1,000, in line with new national guidelines.
According to the council, the rise in fly-tipping reports has put a strain on services, despite teams working hard to clear waste quickly. The council is also reviewing the Love Clean Streets app to address potential duplication in reports. The council is pleased that residents are actively using the app as it reflects the strength of local concern, and their commitment to act. The council is meeting with Love Clean Streets to review how the system is functioning, particularly around potential duplication in reports, especially on private land, which may be artificially inflating figures. They are working closely to assess and resolve any technical issues. The council clarified that it does not remove fly-tips from private land unless there is a health and safety risk, but expects landowners to act responsibly.
Between April 2024 and January 2025, over 95% of fly-tips were cleared within one working day. While performance dipped to 80.9% in February, it has since improved to 87.5% in March, with expectations to recover fully in the coming months.
In the first three months of the service, over 20,000 service requests were received to deal with fly-tipping. Despite the rise in reports, the council's contractor has worked hard to respond swiftly. Croydon has seen a continued rise in reported fly-tipping, with over 64,000 incidents logged through the Love Clean Streets app in the past year, up from around 3,800 in April 2024 to almost 6,600 in March 2025.
In Thornton Heath, the council works closely with the Thornton Heath Community Action Team to tackle issues around street cleansing and fly-tipping.
The council meeting also addressed other local issues, including school safety patrols, housing repairs, community safety, and the council's financial challenges. These topics will be covered in separate reports.