Clampdown on fly-posting to reduce Walsall's annual £15,000 clean up bill
A campaign to crack down on environmental crime in Walsall has targeted people who illegally paste posters on walls and structures.
The Advertiser backed campaign, run by Walsall Council, has seen letters sent out to persistent offenders who continue to flout the law with fly-posting.
The letter warns the company to remove the posters immediately or risk facing prosecution under the Town and Country Planning Act 1990.
The maximum penalty for the offence is a £2,500 fine plus £250 for each day the poster remains after conviction.
To help discouraged fly-posters, 'cancelled' stickers will also be placed across posters advertising events.
There will also be clean ups of fly-posting hotspots throughout the campaign.
Councillor Garry Perry, cabinet member for communities and partnerships at Walsall Council, said: "This campaign aims to send a clear message to companies who fly-post – you could face a hefty fine if you continue to do so.
"It has been proven that fly-posting has a detrimental impact on the area – it looks unsightly and encourages graffiti and it costs taxpayers money for the posters to be removed.
"We are taking a firmer stand against fly-posting so businesses should remove any illegally pasted posters immediately. There are lots of ways to advertise including at the borough's leisure centres and libraries so businesses need to consider the legal alternatives," he added.
Despite the hefty clean up bill, chiefs at Walsall Council believe the problem of fly-posting is not widespread and only 1 per cent of the borough is effected.
However, this is largely due to Street Pride's efficient removal of fly-posters.
The aim of the campaign is to encourage businesses to act responsibly and not put the posters up in the first place.
Incidents of litter, dog fouling, fly tipping, fly posting and graffiti can be reported to Street Pride on 01922 653344.
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