A COMPANY has been fined for illegally erecting scaffolding.

Cross Scaffolding Sussex Ltd erected six unlicensed scaffolds in Brighton and Hove between October 2020 and August 2021.

A Brighton and Hove City Council spokesman said: “Despite numerous requests to the company to apply for the required licences, which others had continued to do throughout the pandemic, applications were never received.

“We felt this left us with no option but to begin legal action.”

The company pleaded guilty to the offence and were ordered to pay £1,010 by Brighton magistrates.

Cross Scaffolding Sussex Ltd were fined £100 for each property, totalling £600, and ordered to pay £350 in costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Co-Chairman of the environment, transport and sustainability committee councillor Steve Davis said: “I hope this serves as a warning to others that we won’t tolerate this kind of behaviour.

“Illegally placed scaffolding can be very dangerous. We will treat any threat to public safety extremely seriously and seek prosecution where we feel people are being put in danger."

As part of the Highways Act 1980, all companies, contractors and householders who want to put objects on the public highway need to obtain a licence from the council.

A company spokeswoman told The Argus the scaffolding had originally been licensed but that the licences had expired.