Recommendations:
The Committee is asked to:
• Agree that London Councils consults on the levels of fixed penalties for breaching byelaws in the City of Westminster for noise in streets, public urination and feeding of birds.
Item 9 - Fixed Penalty Notice Levels for Bird Feeding , Noise in Streets and Public Urination in the City of Westminster (T19/3)
The City of Westminster has two byelaws (one on ‘noise in streets and other public places’, and ‘urinating etc.’ and another on ‘feeding of birds prohibited’) under Section 235 of the Local Government Act 1972.
Any person offending against either byelaw is liable on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding level 2 on the standard scale, currently £500.00. The City of Westminster wishes to introduce the option to discharge any liability to conviction by payment of a fixed penalty. Section 15 (1) (b) of the London Local Authorities Act 2004 (LLAA 2004) permits such an option. Under Section 17(6) of the London Local Authorities Act 2004, it is the duty of the joint committee, London Councils’ Transport and Environment Committee (TEC), to set the levels of fixed penalties for byelaws. Past practice requires London Councils to consult on the levels of the penalty.