FLY-TIPPERS cost Carmarthenshire residents £427,915 over three years, according to figures obtained by local Labour AM, Joyce Watson.
The Mid and West Wales AM used Freedom of Information legislation to find out how much the disposal and clearance of fly-tipping had cost Carmarthenshire Council since April 2005.
Joyce was alerted to the issue when she discovered that 5,251 incidences of fly-tipping had been reported to the council between April 2005 and December 2008. Of these cases, 91 offenders were successfully prosecuted by the council—the sixth highest prosecution rate in Wales.
Joyce said:
“Carmarthenshire Council and its Enforcement Officers are to be congratulated for having one of the best prosecution rates in Wales. This is all the more impressive because they are policing a rural and therefore challenging part of the country.
“Fly-tipping not only spoils our beautiful environment but, as these figures reveal, it places a heavy burden on the public purse too, so the council is right to take tough action against offenders.”
Under existing legislation, Local Authorities can take out prosecutions for fly-tipping offences under the Environmental Protection Act. They can also use Fixed Penalty Notices for small-scale incidents.
Joyce continued by saying other councils could learn valuable lessons from Carmarthenshire:
“Councils like Pembrokeshire – which didn’t make a single prosecution over the same period – need to learn from Carmarthenshire’s approach.
“In contrast to Carmarthenshire, the only action Pembrokeshire Council took against fly-tippers last year was to send just over a dozen warning letters to offenders. This simply isn’t good enough.
“Some other councils appear to be put off by the cost of prosecuting (which can start at £1000), but the costs are recovered if the case is successful—they need to be more proactive and confident about tackling fly-tipping.”
Leader of the Labour group in Carmarthenshire Council, Kevin Madge, added:
“Residents will rightly be angered to learn how much fly-tipping costs the council every year, especially at this time when resources are stretched and budgets are tight.
“Thanks to the hard work of our Enforcement Officers, and the commitment of the council to address the problem, we are achieving many successful prosecutions—we now need to build on this success and target more offenders, going forward.”
Joyce also warned Carmarthenshire householders about new rules which allow the council to fine individuals and businesses:
“If you hire builders, tree fellers, house clearers, or anyone else who is removing waste items from your property, you need to ensure that these are disposed of properly otherwise you could be liable and be left with a fine. These contractors will normally need a waste carrier registration which you can check by calling the Environment Agency on 08708 506 506 and asking for a Waste Carrier Validation Check.”
New powers under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005 have come into force in Wales to strengthen action against certain types of fly-tipping. These new powers enable Local Authorities to issue a £100 fine for householders who dispose of their waste illegally; issue a £300 fixed fine for transporting waste whilst unregistered as a waste carrier; and seize vehicles which are suspected of being involved in fly-tipping offences.
Carmarthenshire Council was among the first councils in Wales to successfully prosecute under the new legislation.
-
