Spitters to face £500 fines as mayor gets law change

Doncaster Council said it was the first local authority to be successful in securing permission for a law which specifically refers to spitting,

The council held a consultation after elected mayor Peter Davies said he wanted spitting and swearing outlawed, with most respondents supporting tougher action against spitting.

Mr Davies said yesterday: “I am delighted with this latest news. Spitting is a filthy habit and one that I want rid of from the streets of Doncaster.

“Doncaster will be one of the first councils in the country to have implemented a spitting byelaw.

“It sends out a strong message to the whole of the country that this type of anti-social behaviour is completely unacceptable and not welcome in our town.”

Under the ruling, anyone caught spitting in Doncaster or any of the surrounding communities could face prosecution in the magistrates court and face a fine of as much as £500.

Councillor Kevin Rodgers, chairman of the council’s elections and democratic structures committee, said: “The committee has been involved with this process from the start . The changes we made to the byelaw to propose a ban on spitting without reasonable cause has put forward a more enforceable offence.”

“Like all members of the council we welcome this new power to add to the array of measures available to our officers to tackle anti-social behaviour across the borough.”

The council said it is expected that confirmation will take place in the next few weeks “subject to the consideration of any objections the Government may receive”.

While Doncaster Council is the first to have such a byelaw provisionally approved, other councils have applied their own strategies to stop spitting.

Leicester City Council has fined anyone caught spitting on their streets as an offence covered by The (Good Rule and Government) Byelaws 1956.

Other councils have applied for byelaws or choosing to get around the bureaucracy by classing spitting as “waste”.

Shortly after his election Mr Davies had signs erected in Doncaster High Street asking people not to swear and spit in the street after pledging to stop such acts in his manifesto.