As part of East Staffordshire Borough Council’s commitment to combat fly tipping and the ongoing Tackle The Tippers campaign, Officers from the East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Community and Civil Enforcement and Enforcement Teams joined forces to undertake an initiative on the 11th December 2024 focussing on the Anglesey Ward in Burton-on-Trent to provide a high profile presence and address any issues concerning fly tipping or any other environmental crime.
The Teams were also joined by Officers from East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Licensing Team, the Selective Licensing Team and Staffordshire Police to undertake collaborative work to proactively address other issues reported in.
As a result of the Initiative, the following were identified:
- Twenty seven privately owned areas of land were identified as overgrown and untidy with follow up action required.
- Three cases of fly tipping were found to be containing evidence and will be further investigated.
- Ten cases of fly tipping on highway land with no evidence to suggest the identity of the offender and no witnesses to the offence and which were removed.
- Two cases of an accumulation of refuse on privately owned land which will be further investigated.
- Litter in the park area which has been referred to be removed.
- In addition, educational no fly tipping posters were given to premises to display and leaflets distributed to residents advising about the appropriate way to dispose of waste.
- Referrals were also made to the Environmental Health Team concerning the housing conditions of vulnerable occupants and reporting a potential house of multiple occupation.
- Two unlicensed properties which will be investigated.
- Two potholes in the pavement areas which have been reported to Staffordshire County Council
- A review of the existing mobile CCTV cameras currently deployed with consideration given to deployments to any additional areas.
- Five licensed vehicles were inspected, of which one was fully compliant and the other four found to have issues including requiring external and internal cleaning, a step into a vehicle in need of repair, issues regarding springs in a pull down seat, damage to the front of a vehicle, a stiff seatbelt, and a driver’s personal items in a foot well where a passenger would sit.
- Staffordshire Police checked multiple vehicles including a vehicle which was speeding, a driver who was driving without due care and misused their horn, a vehicle which had no registration plate and a vehicle containing a passenger who failed to wear a seat belt.
- In addition, Staffordshire Police also seized a vehicle which was not insured and caused wilful obstruction. The vehicle was parked on zig zag lines outside a school and if not collected, will be disposed of.
Fly tipping is not only a blight to residents and communities but costly to the tax payer in clear up costs, can serve as an attraction to rodents and other pests, is detrimental to local communities and can be hazardous to the local environment and to wildlife.
Fly tipping is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Officers can issue fixed penalty notices of £400 and the Courts have various powers available to them to deal with fly tipping, including imprisonment, unlimited fines and an order to deprive rights to a vehicle used to commit the offence.
Residents are reminded where disposing of waste to adhere to the following:
- Do not leave any items on the pavement or on Council land. This includes items of furniture or fridge freezers and various items left out for ‘scrap collectors’. This will still be classed as fly-tipping
- Do not leave items on the pavement stating ‘Free to good home’. Advertise any items through the correct channels and keep at home until they can be collected.
- Ensure that anyone employed to take your waste away is reputable and licensed. Ask to see a copy of their waste carriers licence and also ask for a receipt (often called a ‘tipping note’) A legitimate waste carrier will not mind waiting whilst you make your enquiries. If the waste is later found fly-tipped and traced back, action can be taken against you. You can receive a £200 Fixed Penalty Notice or be prosecuted.
- Checks can also be made by contacting the Environment Agency on: (03708) 506 506, Monday- Friday, 8am to 6pm or accessing the public register list on: https://www.gov.uk/guidance/access-the-public-register-for-environmental-information
- Be aware that the Council offers a bulky waste collection service to collect and dispose of larger items. Bulky Items can be removed by the Council through the bulky waste collection service at a cost of £32.67 for up to three items with a fee of £7.62 for each additional item up to a maximum of ten. Fridges and freezers are charged at £21.78 per unit and a maximum of 3 can be collected.
- A bulky waste collection can be arranged via the East Staffordshire Borough Council website or by telephoning 0800 269098.
Cllr Simon Slater, Cabinet Member for Communities and Regulatory Services, said: “I would like to thank the officers involved for their work during this initiative and the positive results that followed. Fly-tipping is an illegal act that blights our neighbourhoods and communities and I would urge residents to follow the advice provided in this release.”
Anyone wanting further advice or with information regarding fly-tipping can contact the Teams on (01283) 508506.
To report incidents of fly tipping, please telephone (01283) 508506 or report via the Council’s website.