Reprimand of the offender
A civil penalty should not be regarded as an easy or lesser option compared to prosecution. While the penalty should be proportionate and reflect both the severity of the offence and whether there is a pattern of previous offending, it is important that it is set at a high enough level to help ensure that it has a real economic impact on the offender and demonstrates the consequences of not complying with their responsibilities.
Following the initial scoring calculation, consideration will be given whether this element has been suitably met or not. If there is a decision to increase the fine level the reasoning behind the decision will be clearly set out in the Notice of Intent and any Final Notice.