Arun District Council has unanimously approved a motion calling for stronger enforcement powers to help protect local standards and improve the wellbeing of residents. The cross-party support reflects what councillors described as a shared determination to respond more effectively to community concerns.
The motion, put forward by Liberal Democrat councillor Amanda Worne and seconded by Conservative councillor Keir Greenway, urges the government to expand the use of Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs) across a wider range of district council regulatory areas. At present, FPNs cannot be used for several offences involving environmental protection or licensing enforcement. Councillors say this limits the council’s ability to respond quickly to problems such as nuisance behaviour, poor business compliance and environmental damage.
Fixed Penalty Notices are on-the-spot fines issued for certain offences, providing a faster and more cost-effective alternative to taking cases through the courts. Arun District Council says expanding their use would offer proportionate enforcement, reduce strain on the judicial system and deliver quicker results for residents. The council believes this approach would significantly improve how persistent issues are dealt with.
The benefits of wider FPN powers, the council argues, include greater efficiency by avoiding lengthy legal proceedings, stronger deterrence through escalating penalties for repeat offenders, and the ability to reinvest income from fines directly into enforcement work. That money would be ring-fenced, helping improve services such as environmental protection and community safety.
The motion also commits the council to reviewing and increasing the value of its existing Fixed Penalty Notices, particularly for offences like fly-tipping, littering and other environmental harm, where higher penalties could help drive better compliance.
Arun’s leadership will now seek backing from other West Sussex councils to strengthen the call for change. The council hopes that a unified regional approach will encourage the government to give local authorities more flexibility over enforcement tools, helping them respond more effectively and efficiently to issues affecting residents every day.
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.
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