As part of his campaign to protect the countryside in South Shropshire, Stuart Anderson MP has marked the launch of the Great British Spring Clean that has returned for 2026 between March and May.
- Stuart Anderson MP has marked the launch of the Great British Spring Clean.
- At least 71 councils failed to issue a single fine for littering last year.
- Stuart has repeatedly called greater consistency in the enforcement of litter laws.
Stuart Anderson MP said:
“As part of my campaign to protect our countryside in South Shropshire, I am delighted to mark the launch of the Great British Spring Clean. I am concerned that the situation continues to affect many communities, with at least 71 councils having failed to issue a single fine for littering last year - according to data from the Clean Up Britain campaign. The research, published on 20th March 2026, around 77,000 people were caught fly-tipping but only 26,000 fines were issued and, of those, roughly half went unpaid. I have repeatedly called greater consistency in the enforcement of litter laws. South Shropshire is home to some remarkable litter pickers who go above and beyond to keep our local communities clean, safe, and tidy. I want to ensure that they are supported with access to national resources, which is why I called the Binfrastructure Fund to be restored.”
Stuart Anderson MP has renewed his pledge to support local volunteers who are leading the charge against litter pollution in South Shropshire. It is part of his campaign to protect the countryside in South Shropshire. Organised by Keep Britain Tidy, the Great British Spring Clean is the nation’s biggest mass-action environmental campaign. Each year, more than 400,000 volunteers clear litter from our streets, parks, and beaches. Stuart is delighted to support the campaign which runs between March and May.
Since his election, Stuart has been pleased to meet many remarkable litter pickers and community volunteers in South Shropshire, who go above and beyond to keep their local areas safe and tidy. Stuart is determined to support their efforts, having made it a priority in his Shop Local Action Plan to clean up our high streets. In response to Stuart's Shop Local Survey, many residents raised the importance of improving the atmosphere of local high streets and boosting public safety. Many residents highlighted the number of abandoned shops, badly kept pavements, and level of litter as discouraging factors.
Stuart launched his campaign in August 2025 after he was contacted by a significant number of residents who raised concerns about the situation. He subsequently called greater consistency in the enforcement of litter laws, which had been tightened by the previous Conservative government. Stuart has also previously called for the restoration of the Binfrastructure Fund, a key scheme that enabled the purchase of litter bins and other essential resources for local communities.
Stuart is concerned that the situation continues to affect many communities, with at least 71 councils having failed to issue a single fine for littering last year, according to data from the Clean Up Britain campaign. The research, published on 20th March 2026, found that around 77,000 people were caught fly-tipping but only 26,000 fines were issued. Of those, roughly half went unpaid. Further research has revealed that more than 1.2 million cases of fly-tipping were reported last year. If returned to government, the Conservatives have pledged to giving the Police the powers to issue community sentences – such as cleaning graffiti and tidying parks – for offences including criminal damage, harassment without violence and first-time drug possession without going to court.
