Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs)

People who are caught committing an environmental crime, such as littering or not cleaning up after their dog can be issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) as an alternative to prosecution.

There are a number of situations where the Council would consider that the issuing of a fixed penalty notice may not be appropriate and instead would seek to prosecute under the relevant legislation. This includes:

• Large-scale depositing of waste items
• When the offence is committed by someone that had previously received a fixed penalty notice for the same offence
• When the offender is aggressive to the Enforcement Officer or other staff member
• Where the offender refuses to provide their name and address.

You can read our Enforcement Policy here.

The amount for a littering fixed penalty notice is £120 (£100 if paid within 10 days).

The amount for a dog fouling fine is £100 (£75 if paid within 10 days).

View the full list of Fixed Penalty Notice charges here. (PDF) [116KB]

We will send reminders for non-payment of FPNs and will take legal action if they remain unpaid. We do not accept appeals against these types of fines.

You can find out more information about the number of FPNs issued for dog fouling and littering over the last five years and the number of people prosecuted in the last year below.

Can fines by issued to children?

Yes, anyone 11 years old and above can be fined. Enforcement officers are also permitted to take photographs of alleged offenders to use as evidence in court if a fine is not paid.

How to pay

The quickest way to pay your FPN is online. Payments can be made 24/7 by using our quick and easy online forms.

Alternatively you can pay at one of our receptions however you will need your FPN number - without it you will not be able to pay.

To pay a parking fine please visit the parking section of our website.

Pay a parking fine

If you have difficulty paying

You need to contact us as soon as possible. There is no automatic right to pay by instalments and in the majority of cases we ask for full payment as set out in the FPN.

Please e-mail us with any concerns, issues or enquiries in the first instance.

Disputing a fine

If you would like to dispute your fine, you need to put your request in writing within 14 days of receiving the ticket. The address to write to is Neighbourhoods team, Staffordshire Moorlands District Council, Moorlands House, Stockwell Street, Leek, ST13 6HQ.