500 fly-tipping cases a year in Stafford - as woman ordered to pay £294 over dumped toys

e than 500 cases of fly-tipping have been reported across the Stafford borough within the last year – costing council chiefs around £30,000 to clean up.

Councillor Mark Winnington, Stafford Borough Council's cabinet member for environment, said those who illegally dump rubbish will be tracked down, fined or prosecuted.

It comes after a woman was fined when several bags and toys were dumped at the rear of terraced houses in Stafford, leading to her forced to pay almost £300.

Phoebe Keiher, aged 23, of Mynors Street, pleaded guilty to a fly-tipping offence before magistrates in Newcastle Under Lyme and was ordered to pay fines and costs of £294 overall.

After a tip-off from a resident an enforcement officer at the borough council visited the site and found black domestic waste bags containing children’s toys. The court was told she claimed not to have left all the bags at the service road behind Mynors Street.

Councillor Winnington said: “Fly-tipping can have a serious impact on an area and residents who take pride in their community demand action is taken against those who blight the area.

“Those who illegally dump rubbish should expect to be fined or prosecuted and face a criminal record - so I hope this case will serve as a warning to others who think it is acceptable to fly-tip in Stafford Borough.”

He added that the local authority needed help from members of the public to report instances of environmental crimes - such as littering or abandoning vehicles - so they could take action against the offenders.

To contact the council in confidence email grimewatch@staffordbc.gov.uk or call 01785 619402. The council also has a dedicated webpage staffordbc.gov.uk/grimewatch - to highlight illegal rubbish dumps and how residents can get in touch with information.