Local democracy

Issue - meetings

BRADFORD COUNCIL KEEPS UP ITS FIGHT AGAINST FLY-TIPPING

Meeting: 14/01/2020 - Council (Item 90)

BRADFORD COUNCIL KEEPS UP ITS FIGHT AGAINST FLY-TIPPING

To be moved by Councillor Sarah Ferriby

Seconded by Councillor Susan Hinchcliffe

 

Fly-tipping is illegal and it costs taxpayers in England more than £57 million a year to clear up. This Council will not tolerate people who fly-tip, blighting neighbourhoods and making people feel bad about where they live. We have already taken the following steps to reduce fly-tipping and deal with perpetrators:

·         We prosecute those caught fly-tipping – since April 2016, we have carried out 93 prosecutions, including formal cautions, for waste offences including fly-tipping. We have also issued 72 Fixed Penalty Notices of £400 for fly-tipping offences and we have seized three vans.

·         We have taken advantage of new legislation to issue £250 Fixed Penalty Notices to householders who use unregistered waste carriers.

·         We have stepped up media activity, including the use of social media, around prosecutions to name and shame perpetrators as well as inform others that action will be taken.

·         We regularly encourage people to report fly-tipping incidents to 01274 431000.

·         We are working in partnership with the police and have undertaken regular operations to identify and deal with illegal waste carriers.

·         We clamped down on fly-tipping of waste during the Bonfire Night period by undertaking surveillance of bonfire hotspots including the use of electronic highway signs to raise awareness.

 

These actions are having a positive impact but fly-tipping continues to be a major challenge for local authorities and communities. Councils across the country took action on nearly half a million incidents in 2018/19 – around 5,000 more than the previous year and up by nearly 75,000 in six years. This Council now resolves to further invest in interventions to prevent fly-tipping as follows:

·         Purchase 15 mobile cameras to catch perpetrators – 80% of prosecutions are done based on camera evidence. Cameras allow us to capture the vehicle registration and trace the owner so that the appropriate enforcement action can be taken.

·         Use bunding, fencing, bouldering to defend sites which are regularly fly-tipped to prevent further incidents.

·         Raise awareness and work with more private landowners and with communities to promote responsible waste management practices.

·         Look at how the Council can step up enforcement activity against private land owners and landlords who don’t act responsibly in safeguarding their property from becoming a fly-tipping hotspot.

Decision:

Resolved –

 

Fly-tipping is illegal and it costs taxpayers in England more than £57 million a year to clear up. This Council will not tolerate people who fly-tip, blighting neighbourhoods and making people feel bad about where they live. We have already taken the following steps to reduce fly-tipping and deal with perpetrators:

      We prosecute those caught fly-tipping – since April 2016, we have carried out 93 prosecutions, including formal cautions, for waste offences including fly-tipping. We have also issued 72 Fixed Penalty Notices of £400 for fly-tipping offences and we have seized three vans.

      We have taken advantage of new legislation to issue £250 Fixed Penalty Notices to householders who use unregistered waste carriers.

      We have stepped up media activity, including the use of social media, around prosecutions to name and shame perpetrators as well as inform others that action will be taken.

      We regularly encourage people to report fly-tipping incidents to 01274 431000.

      We are working in partnership with the police and have undertaken regular operations to identify and deal with illegal waste carriers.

      We clamped down on fly-tipping of waste during the Bonfire Night period by undertaking surveillance of bonfire hotspots including the use of electronic highway signs to raise awareness.

These actions are having a positive impact but fly-tipping continues to be a major challenge for local authorities and communities, and in research carried out by The Furniture Recycling Group Bradford was ranked behind only Manchester and Liverpool for fly-tipping incidents. Councils across the country took action on nearly half a million incidents in 2018/19 – around 5,000 more than the previous year and up by nearly 75,000 in six years, however analysis by the LGA has shown that nobody convicted of fly-tipping has received the maximum £50,000 fine or 12 months in prison since new guidelines were introduced in 2014. This Council now resolves to further invest in interventions to prevent fly-tipping as follows:

      Purchase 15 mobile cameras to catch perpetrators – 80% of prosecutions are done based on camera evidence. Cameras allow us to capture the vehicle registration and trace the owner so that the appropriate enforcement action can be taken.

      Use bunding, fencing, bouldering to defend sites which are regularly fly-tipped to prevent further incidents.

      Raise awareness and work with more private landowners and with communities to promote responsible waste management practices.

      Look at how the Council can step up enforcement activity against private land owners and landlords who don’t act responsibly in safeguarding their property from becoming a fly-tipping hotspot.

      Request the Chief Executive to write to the government to demand that courts fully use the powers available to them to deal with those convicted of fly-tipping.

      Request officers to look into additional measures that can be taken to identify those responsible, such as offering rewards to residents who provide information which leads to convictions.

 

ACTION:       Chief Executive/Strategic Director Place

Minutes:

A motion was moved by Councillor Imran Khan.

 

An amendment moved by Councillor Love, as set out in the resolution below, was carried.

 

Amendments moved by Councillor Poulsen and Councillor Jeanette Sunderland were defeated.

 

Resolved –

 

Fly-tipping is illegal and it costs taxpayers in England more than £57 million a year to clear up. This Council will not tolerate people who fly-tip, blighting neighbourhoods and making people feel bad about where they live. We have already taken the following steps to reduce fly-tipping and deal with perpetrators:

·         We prosecute those caught fly-tipping – since April 2016, we have carried out 93 prosecutions, including formal cautions, for waste offences including fly-tipping. We have also issued 72 Fixed Penalty Notices of £400 for fly-tipping offences and we have seized three vans.

·         We have taken advantage of new legislation to issue £250 Fixed Penalty Notices to householders who use unregistered waste carriers.

·         We have stepped up media activity, including the use of social media, around prosecutions to name and shame perpetrators as well as inform others that action will be taken.

·         We regularly encourage people to report fly-tipping incidents to 01274 431000.

·         We are working in partnership with the police and have undertaken regular operations to identify and deal with illegal waste carriers.

·         We clamped down on fly-tipping of waste during the Bonfire Night period by undertaking surveillance of bonfire hotspots including the use of electronic highway signs to raise awareness.

 

These actions are having a positive impact but fly-tipping continues to be a major challenge for local authorities and communities. Councils across the country took action on nearly half a million incidents in 2018/19 – around 5,000 more than the previous year and up by nearly 75,000 in six years. This Council now resolves to further invest in interventions to prevent fly-tipping as follows:

·         Purchase 15 mobile cameras to catch perpetrators – 80% of prosecutions are done based on camera evidence. Cameras allow us to capture the vehicle registration and trace the owner so that the appropriate enforcement action can be taken.

·         Use bunding, fencing, bouldering to defend sites which are regularly fly-tipped to prevent further incidents.

·         Raise awareness and work with more private landowners and with communities to promote responsible waste management practices.

·         Look at how the Council can step up enforcement activity against private land owners and landlords who don’t act responsibly in safeguarding their property from becoming a fly-tipping hotspot.

·         Request the Chief Executive to write to the government to demand that courts fully use the powers available to them to deal with those convicted of fly-tipping.

·         Request officers to look into additional measures that can be taken to identify those responsible, such as offering rewards to residents who provide information which leads to convictions.

 

ACTION:       Strategic Director Place