Unanimous cross-party support for motion to strengthen local enforcement
Arun District Council has unanimously backed a motion aimed at improving enforcement powers to protect local standards and the wellbeing of residents.
The motion, proposed by Councillor Amanda Worne (Liberal Democrat Group) and seconded by Councillor Keir Greenway (Conservative Group), reflects a shared commitment across all political parties to work collaboratively and respond to the concerns of our communities.
The motion calls on the government to extend the use of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) to all district council regulatory areas where they are currently unavailable, including environmental protection, and local licensing enforcement. FPNs are on-the-spot fines issued for certain offences, offering a quicker, more cost-effective alternative to lengthy court proceedings. This approach ensures proportionate enforcement, reduces the burden on the judicial system, and delivers faster outcomes for residents.
Key benefits of adopting FPNs include:
- efficiency: avoids costly and time-consuming court cases
- deterrence: escalating penalties for repeat offences will strengthen compliance
- local reinvestment: income from FPNs would be ring-fenced for enforcement activities, improving services for residents
This motion also commits the council to reviewing and increasing FPN values within its existing powers to tackle issues such as fly-tipping, littering, and environmental damage.
The leader of the council and chief executive will now seek support from other West Sussex councils to amplify this call for change. The hope is that government will take this proposal seriously and empower local authorities to deliver more effective enforcement.
Councillor Amanda Worne, proposer of the motion, said:
"This is about listening to our residents and ensuring we have the right tools to protect our communities. By working together across all parties, we are sending a clear message to government that this change is urgently needed, and it also shows our residents that the whole council has their best interests at heart too.” "
Councillor Greenway, who seconded the motion, added:
"Increasing our Fixed Penalty Notice rates is the first step towards introducing a fair and proportionate way to deal with offences without resorting to lengthy court cases. This will enable us to review our enforcement services so that, in future, we can act quickly and effectively while reinvesting funds back into local enforcement activities"
The next step is for a letter, from Arun District Council to be sent to government for consideration. The Enforcement Policy and FPN rates are tabled for review at the Environment Committee meeting on Tuesday 18 November.