Clause 8 - Use of fixed penalty receipts
Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Bill
4:30 pm
Mr Matthew Green (Shadow Minister, Office of the Deputy Prime Minister Local Government & the Regions; Ludlow, Liberal Democrat)
These are probing amendments and they are not designed to remove the Secretary of State's power to allow councils to spend money on things that they might want to spend money on. I hope that the Minister will put it on the record that he does not envisage fixed penalty notices being used as a means of raising revenue for the council. The intention of such notices is to deal with problems where they exist, not for councils to develop an overzealous approach to areas and go out seeking a means of keeping council tax down by collecting large amounts of fines. I am seeking reassurance that he sees the notices as tackling the problem, not as a ''get rich quick'' approach for councils. If interpreted overzealously, some enforcement could become excessive.