In a decision that has sparked public outcry, Hounslow Council is refusing to cancel a £1,000 fixed penalty notice issued to an NHS mental health nurse for what she describes as an innocent mistake.
Petition gathers pace but council remains unmoved
More than 1,200 people have signed a petition on Change.org, calling on the West London authority to show leniency to Loretta Alvarez. The single mother received the maximum fine for fly-tipping after placing a cardboard Amazon envelope on top of a pile of other cardboard next to overflowing communal bins outside her home in Feltham in October.
Despite the growing public support, the council has confirmed it will not cancel the penalty. Councillor Pritam Grewal, Cabinet Member for Community Safety, Customer Service and Enforcement, stated: "At present, there are no plans to cancel the FPN in this case. Ms Alvarez has admitted to the offence of fly-tipping, and so we are confident that we have done the right thing in upholding the FPN."
A question of proportionality
Ms Alvarez, who works for the NHS, says she admitted to placing the envelope because she believed it was the responsible action, given the bins were full and the item was recyclable. However, she strongly disputes that her action constitutes serious fly-tipping.
"I owned up to placing the envelope there as I thought it was the right thing to do," she told reporters. "I don't think the fine is fair." She has suggested that a fine for littering would have been a more proportionate response for a single envelope.
The case has drawn criticism due to its perceived inconsistency. While Ms Alvarez was fined because her address was on the envelope, no other residents who added to the same pile of cardboard are understood to have been penalised. Furthermore, a fridge dumped near her home was not punished.
Payment plan agreed as campaign continues
The council has acknowledged Ms Alvarez's concerns and confirmed that a payment plan has been arranged with its enforcement partners, APCOA. The plan involves four instalments of £250, with the first payment expected in February.
Nevertheless, campaigners argue that the council's zero-tolerance approach is misapplied. They contend that residents expect enforcement action against genuine, large-scale fly-tipping—not maximum fines for minor first-time errors while more serious offences go unaddressed.
The petition continues to call for the fine to be completely scrapped. Supporters are urged to sign the online petition and contact Cllr Pritam Grewal directly at pritam.grewal@hounslow.gov.uk to voice their opposition to the penalty.
