Geese, cigs, and cardboard: harassing council fines terrify insecure migrants

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  • Post last modified:14 August 2026

Nobody likes being slapped with a fine. Your diligent reporter got slapped with a parking council fine while covering the historic Makerfield by-election. That’s £45 I would much rather not have forked up. (Luckily, I could.) In the North, there’s an entire social media genre that has sprung up of vigilant citizens saving their compatriots from needless fines. Many involve simply telling people to “walk away”, often leaving the fine enforcers looking a bit forlorn. Councils outsource the fining under the name of “environment enforcement“. But not all council fines are equal. Yes, some stretch way beyond £45 (or £90 if…

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