Hounslow Council has reviewed its approach to tackling fly-tipping, with a focus on making it easier for residents to dispose of waste correctly and targeting large-scale offenders.
During a Borough Council meeting on Tuesday, 15 September 2026, councillors debated a motion proposed by Councillor Jack Emsley, which called for a review of the council's fly-tipping enforcement policy, arguing that the current £1,000 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) were heavy-handed and ineffective.
An amendment, proposed by Councillor Amy Croft, was accepted by the council. This amendment reframed the motion, highlighting existing council efforts and data suggesting a reduction in fly-tipping compared to national trends. The amended motion notes that while Hounslow has seen a 2% increase in fly-tips since the last corporate plan in 2022, this is significantly lower than the 15% increase seen across the rest of England during the same period. It also states that the introduction of a new enforcement regime and £1,000 Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) in April 2025 has led to a 12% reduction in fly-tipping compared to the same quarter in the previous year.
The amended motion commits the council to making it easier for residents to dispose of waste correctly through free bulky waste collection and community pop-up tips. It also states that the council will continue to review its contract with APCOA, the council's service contractor, with a focus on common sense and effective enforcement. Renewed guidance is scheduled to be published before the end of August.
The council also resolved to commit to an enforcement policy that continues to focus on tackling large-scale fly-tippers and publicising successful prosecutions of major waste criminals. Furthermore, the council will continue to draw up a list of innovative enforcement policies that focus on tackling large-scale fly-tippers, for example, by working with partner agencies like the Metropolitan Police and using new powers from central government.
Councillor Emsley's original motion had called for new enforcement guidelines for APCOA, including warnings instead of fines for individual first-time offenders, and a commitment to replacing the current heavy-handed policy with one focused on tackling large-scale fly-tippers. The amendment, however, shifted the focus to existing efforts and future reviews, while also introducing measures to make waste disposal easier for residents.
Read the full public reports pack for the meeting here: Public reports pack Tuesday 15-Sep-2026 19.30 Borough Council