THE Vale Council will soon be taking enforcement action to tackle the problem of flyposting with a £100 penalty per poster issued to offenders.

The local authority said it was an offence to affix a picture, letter or sign to any surface of a highway or to attach such an item to a tree, lamppost or any other aspect of the highway without express permission.

Such a practice, it said, is a form of littering and can blight certain areas of the county, which is why the council says it plans to clamp down on it.

Under Section 132 of the highways Act, the council has the authority to issue a £100 fixed penalty notice per poster.

In December last year, environmental enforcement officers noted 34 examples of flyposting, with every case at risk of this punishment.

Vale council cabinet member for neighbourhood services and transport, Cllr Peter King said: “Flyposting is an unsightly and unwelcome practice that can have a significant detrimental effect on the appearance of an area.

“Those responsible for flyposting should be warned that we will soon be exercising the extent of our powers to combat the issue.

“We intend to come down hard on those responsible and anyone found to have committed this offence could be looking at a penalty of £100 per poster.”