Lock up the fly-tippers, says council leader

It costs taxpayers an eye-watering £50 million annually, a new survey has revealed.

Figures published by the Local Government Association revealed that local authorities were forced to clear up 976,000 fly-tipping incidents in 2019/20, from tarmac and asbestos, to tyres and even a boat.

Councillor David Renard, from the Local Government Association, which represents councils, said the problem is an ongoing challenge.

He said: "Fly-tipping is inexcusable. It is not only an eyesore for residents but a serious public health risk, creating pollution and attracting rats. It also costs local taxpayers almost £50m a year to clear up which could be better spent on other vital services.

"Councils are determined to crack down on the problem. However, prosecuting fly-tippers often requires time-consuming and laborious investigations, with a high threshold of proof."

The campaign group Keep Britain Tidy has long highlighted the increasing problem of fly-tipping.

It offers advice to landowners, warning that even though they are a victim themselves it is their reponsibility to safely dispose of the waste and pay any costs for doing so.

A spokesman for the group said: "We always advise people to report an incident to their local authority or the Environment Agency. Although they have no obligation to remove the waste, they may be able to provide guidance on the best way to deal forward.

"We also ask landowners to think about why their land has been targeted. Is the area easy to access? Is it an area where people cannot be seen fly-tipping? Once a landowner has established the reason why your land has been targeted, they may want to take steps to make it less vulnerable."

One council leader in the West Midlands says tougher sentences are key to tackling the fly-tipping scourge on our region.

Walsall Council chief Mike Bird said there needed to be a stronger deterrent to make people think twice before dumping rubbish in our towns, cities and countryside as it is currently too easy to get away with it.

Councillor Bird said Walsall Council spent around £1 million last year cleaning up dumped rubbish and officials needed the help of the public more than ever in putting a stop to it.

He said: "We need evidence. Our pledge for this administration is to beef up our CCTV but we do rely heavily on members of the public to give us information, anonymously if they want to. It costs around £1m a year, not just for this local authority but for many.

"We need to look upon the courts to give stronger sentences and imprisonments. It is a criminal act and they just keep doing it. They should be locking people up."

The council leader said homeowners also must ensure they are giving their rubbish to reputable people. He warned if it ends up dumped, even by a third party, the council will still be coming after them.

"Some of these people are charging households and taking rubbish away. But my message is you are responsible. You need to make sure your rubbish is disposed of correctly and if not we will prosecute not only the person who took it and fly-tipped but the source of the rubbish as well."