23 October 2007

FLY TIPPING IS STILL ON THEM INCREASE
We all must do more to stamp it out

Stafford’s Labour MP David Kidney has studied the figures on fly-tipping during 2006-07 and sees that incidents are up, although action by some councils to tackle it is up also. English local authorities reported to the FLYCAPTURE system (set up by the Government and Local Government Association) more than 2.6 million incidents last year, although nearly half of all the reports came from Liverpool City Council.

Enforcement action by councils was up 46 per cent and there were 1,371 prosecutions, of which 94 per cent achieved a successful outcome. Nine out ten incidents took place in predominantly urban authorities. Approximately half the fly tipping was on highways and half were of a car boot or small van load in size. Three quarters involved household waste.

David Kidney says we all need to do more to tackle this serious problem:

“Government has passed laws to give councils more powers (and is willing to do more if necessary), pays for campaigns and training for council officers. The Environment Agency supports councils and landowners, provides training and spread good practice.

“Councils can carry out regular inspections and bring prosecutions. The best councils are reducing fly tipping. For example, Milton Keynes cut fly tipping by 35 per cent last year by identifying hotspots, covert surveillance, prosecutions, penalty notices and cautions as well as longer opening hours for civic amenity sites. The Flycapture data (self reported by councils) shows no prosecutions at all by Stafford and South Staffordshire Councils in the last 3 years, but I would urge all councils to adopt the practices of the best.

“Fly tipping is a serious crime we all need to work together to stop it”.