An elderly volunteer litter picker found himself in an unexpected predicament when he was fined by for accidentally leaving his walking stick by the roadside.
Grandfather Alan Davies, from Aldridge in the West Midlands, was shocked and upset to receive a fine from Walsall Council after forgetting his cane during a daily litter pick along Longwood Lane and Hayhead Wood on September 6.
Davies and his friends had been on their daily litter pick when the incident occurred.
After cleaning up the area, Davies inadvertently left his walking stick and a bag containing his cushion by the roadside.
Elderly volunteer litter picker slapped with ‘shock’ fine for forgetting walking stick
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“Why would I leave my walking stick there on purpose? I want it back, but I cannot speak to anyone human about the fine,” Mr Davies said.
The former builder expressed his frustration, noting: “I need my walking stick.”
He added: “They have taken the trouble to track me down – and after all I’ve done for the area, they could have given me my walking stick back.”
Mr Davies and his friends are dedicated volunteers who clean up rubbish in Aldridge every morning before most people have had their breakfast.
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Walsall Council’s initial response was to issue Davies with a fine. The council tracked him down using CCTV footage and his car’s number plate.
Davies’s friend John, who also picks litter, expressed frustration with the council’s approach.
“They will not listen, or talk to you over [the] phone. They need to prove intent and there is none. He drove off by mistake,” John said.
The fine letter, which was sent out from the council’s community protection department, warned of potential legal proceedings and a maximum fine of £2,500 if left unpaid.
John criticised the council’s interpretation of the CCTV footage.
He said: “There is a 10-minute gap between the pictures. They obviously could not be bothered to look at the picture of the film which shows him driving off and forgetting the stick and bag with his cushion in it.”
Davies’s neighbour Ann highlighted the financial impact: “£150 is a lot of money for a pensioner.”
Following the controversy, Walsall Council has since apologised and rescinded the fine issued to Davies.
A stock image of a man with a walking stick
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A council spokesman said: “We recognise the specific circumstances around this incident and would like to apologise profusely to Mr Davies. We can confirm that the fixed penalty notice has been rescinded after a further review of CCTV footage.”
The council emphasised its respect for litter-picking volunteers, stating: “Walsall Council respects and values the work and commitment of all our litter-picking volunteers. They play a key role in our defence against fly-tipping and littering.”
The spokesman also noted that Longwood Lane and Hayhead Wood are hotspots for fly-tipping, explaining the presence of CCTV cameras in the area.
The council acknowledged that fly-tipping and littering remain significant problems in Walsall and continue to be priorities for local authorities.