Crackdown on littering and fly-tipping begins in Reading

A new team of environmental enforcement officers will patrol Reading from 15 September to tackle littering and fly-tipping, after residents said it was one of their top concerns.

New officers on Reading’s streets

From Monday 15 September, five new environmental enforcement officers will patrol Reading’s streets.

They will focus on the town centre and littering hot spots, issuing fixed penalty notices (FPNs) where needed.

The officers will:

• wear branded uniforms so they are easy to spot
• record interactions on body-worn cameras
• work weekdays at first, then 7 days a week including public holidays

This new approach responds to feedback from the annual residents’ survey, which confirmed litter was one of the top issues people wanted tackled.

Stronger powers and tougher fines

This initiative is a one-year partnership between Reading Borough Council and Kingdom Local Authority Support.

The scheme comes at no cost to the council, as the company is paid from a share of fines collected. The council can review individual cases if necessary.

In April 2025, new fine levels were introduced:

• littering or graffiti – up to £500 (previously £80)
• fly-tipping – up to £1,000 (previously £400)
• incorrect disposal of household waste – up to £600 (previously £400)

Lower early payment options are available to encourage people to take responsibility and not reoffend.

Why this matters

This partnership strengthens the work the council already does to tackle environmental offences.

It means:

• more enforcement on the streets
• the council’s Recycling and Enforcement Team can focus on investigations, prevention projects and recycling education
• a cleaner, safer town for everyone

What councillors and partners say

Cllr Karen Rowland, Lead Councillor for Environmental Services and Community Safety

"This is a bold new council initiative in direct response to public feedback that residents are sick and tired of the minority who spoil Reading for the majority of people who live in and take pride in our town, doing the right thing with their litter and bulky waste day in and day out.

The council annually receives a myriad of complaints about littering and fly tipping from our law-abiding residents. Whilst we work continually to tackle these issues, the onus is on all residents to take responsibility for their own actions and not drop litter or dump rubbish. This includes cigarette butts, which are made of microplastics which pollute the environment and can take years to break down. It also includes fast food wrappings, crisp packets, sweet wrappers and sandwich boxes. We each have a responsibility, even in our fast-paced lives, to deal with our litter and rubbish correctly.

I hope that this will be a really positive step for Reading and for residents who aspire to live in a cleaner, tidier town. The only people who need be concerned about this change are those who lack respect for our town and drop their litter or fail to correctly dispose of bulky waste.

Alongside our record investment in road repairs across Reading, this council will continue to respond to the concerns residents tell us matter to them the most. Tough action on fly-tipping and littering falls into that category and I am pleased to welcome additional enforcement to remind those that need to be reminded that Reading is a united community that takes pride in our town."

John Roberts, Chief Services Officer at Kingdom LAS

“We are pleased to be working with Reading Borough Council to support their efforts in tackling littering and fly-tipping across the area. Littering and fly-tipping are becoming more common across England, and our team will help to provide a stronger, robust presence in the community, helping to tackle the issue through education and enforcement.”

How you can help

Residents can help keep Reading clean by reporting littering, fly-tipping and other issues such as full bins.

You can:

• download the Love Clean Streets app to report issues with photos and exact locations
• contact the council on Facebook, X (Twitter) or by phone on 0118 937 3787