ANYONE caught littering or letting their dogs foul in Halton now faces a £80 fixed penalty charge.

If you don’t pay, you could end up with a fine of £2,500 for littering and £1,000 for dog fouling offences if individuals are convicted.

Simon Walker, Halton Council's environmental quality and improvement principal officer, said: "The council’s approach to keeping our borough clean and safe is through education and encouraging people to act responsibility.

"However, where officers observe an environmental offence being committed, they will take enforcement action.

"Hopefully, with the potential of being issued with an £80 fixed penalty notice, people who litter and fail to clear up after their dogs will think twice.

"Enforcement is normally a last resort and is aimed at the minority who spoil our environment for the majority."

The penalty charge has been set at this level as an extra incentive for people to help keep Halton looking clean by deterring irresponsible individuals from dropping litter or failing to clear up after their dogs have fouled.

A fixed penalty notice can be issued for a variety of environmental offences as an alternative to a formal prosecution under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. Offences include littering, breach of a dog control order, distributing literature, graffiti and fly posting, failing to produce authority to transport waste, along with waste offences for household and commercial waste, Providing a fixed penalty notice is paid within the specified time limit then no further enforcement action will take place.

Failure to pay the notice will result in the offence being dealt with in court which could result in a community punishment order, a fine or even a custodial sentence.

To pay a fixed penalty notice you can visit one of the Halton Direct Link shops. You can pay by a credit or debit card when with a customer advisor, or make a cash payment.

A complete list of charges can be found at halton.gov.uk/environment.