The Act Commentary on Sections Local authority notices Section 20 Litter clearing notices
78.Previously principal litter authorities could apply the duty in section 89 of the 1990 Act for land to be kept clear of litter and refuse to other public places (such as shopping centres) by designating litter control areas under section 90 of the 1990 Act. Any occupier of relevant land within that area was then required to keep their land free from litter and refuse. However, litter control areas were very infrequently used by local authorities which considered the process for designation to be overly complicated.
79.Section 20 repeals the power to designate litter control areas (and Schedule 5 repeals provisions of the 1990 Act which are consequential on that power). As an alternative, the section inserts a new section 92A into the 1990 Act empowering principal litter authorities to serve “litter clearing notices” on particular occupiers where they are of the view that defacement caused by the litter or refuse is detrimental to the amenity of the area.
80.Under this measure, a litter clearing notice may be served on an occupier of any land in the open air except for land specified in section 92A(11). If the land is unoccupied, the notice may be served on the owner. Notices may require the land to be cleared of litter and refuse within a certain time, and may specify steps to be taken to prevent future defacement. Section 92A(7) allows the appropriate person (as described in section 98(1A) introduced by section 26) to issue guidance to local authorities on any aspect of their use of litter clearing notices, for example, in relation to standards that may be specified for the clearance of the litter and refuse. Section 92A(8) also gives the appropriate person an order-making power to specify the form and content of litter clearing notices.
81.Section 92B gives a person on whom a litter clearing notice is served the right of appeal to a magistrates’ court and sets out the grounds on which such an appeal may be made.
82.Section 92C makes it an offence to fail without reasonable excuse to comply with a litter clearing notice. Where a person fails to meet the requirements of a notice, a principal litter authority may itself enter the land to remove the litter and refuse. An authority may then impose a reasonable charge for this on the person who failed to comply with the notice.