MK City Council announce tougher penalties for fly-tipping in city

People caught fly tipping in Milton Keynes could now face fines of up to £1,000 under measures that saw Milton Keynes City Council introduce tougher penalties targeting the worst offenders.

From 1 September, a new three-tier system was introduced, with the intent of the new system meaning that those responsible for larger fly tipping crimes can expect much tougher fines than those for smaller incidents.

Until now, someone dumping a single item of waste faced the same £400 Fixed Penalty Notice as someone dumping a vanload of rubbish. The new system introduces a sliding scale of fines, with the most serious offences facing penalties of up to £1,000.

The new penalties are £400 for smaller fly-tipping incidents, including single items and smaller amounts of household waste, £600 for larger household waste deposits, including transit van loads, and small amounts of commercial waste and £1,000 for major incidents, including multiple items, tipper loads of waste and larger commercial fly tipping offences.

MK City Council said that the changes form part of the Council’s drive to tackle environmental crime and target those responsible for the most damage to local communities. While reports of fly tipping in Milton Keynes have fallen by almost 27% since the Council’s first action plan was introduced in 2021, illegal dumping continues to blight neighbourhoods and cost taxpayers money.

Cllr Kerrie Bradburn, Cabinet Member for Environment, said, “Fly tipping is a crime. It damages our environment, spoils our communities and costs taxpayers thousands of pounds every year to clear up. For too long, the same fixed penalty applied regardless of whether someone dumped a single item or a large quantity of waste.

“Our new three-tier system means the punishment now better fits the crime. Those responsible for the most serious and costly offences will face significantly higher penalties. We want to send a clear message that Milton Keynes will not tolerate fly tipping. If you’re caught dumping waste illegally, we will take action.”

The revised penalty structure is one of a number of measures outlined in the Council’s Tackling Fly Tipping Action Plan 2026-2031 which focuses on targeting repeat offenders, tackling hotspot locations and increasing enforcement activity across the city.

Residents are encouraged to report fly tipping and share evidence such as CCTV, doorbell camera or dashcam footage that may help identify those responsible.