FLY-TIPPERS have cost Pembrokeshire residents £153,776 over the past three years

FLY-TIPPERS have cost Pembrokeshire residents £153,776 over the past three years, according to figures obtained by Pembrokeshire-based Labour AM, Joyce Watson.

The Pembrokeshire-based AM used Freedom of Information legislation to find out how much the disposal and clearance of fly-tipping had cost Pembrokeshire Council since April 2005.

Joyce was alerted to the issue when she discovered that the council had not issued any fines or secured any prosecutions for fly-tipping offences in the past three years, despite 2,670 incidences being reported to the council over that time. This is in contrast to Carmarthenshire County Council, which brought 91 prosecutions against fly-tippers since April 2005.

Joyce said:

“These figures suggest the council has some very serious questions to answer over its approach to tackling fly-tipping in the county.

“Fly-tipping not only spoils our beautiful environment but, as these figure reveal, it places a burden on the public purse too. It’s bad enough that the council is allowing fly-tippers to get off ‘scott free’, but the fact that rate-payers are left to pick up the bill adds insult to injury.

“I have been in contact with the council and they have informed me that last year they issued around 15 warning letters, but this simply isn’t a good enough deterrent.

Joyce has written to Councillor Ken Rowlands, Pembrokeshire Council Cabinet Member for Environment and Regulatory Services, to raise her concerns and to ask him to outline how he intends to improve the Council's performance. Joyce writes:

"I am concerned that Pembrokeshire Council is not doing enough to tackle this issue. Whilst I appreciate that the individuals and businesses responsible for dumping waste illegally are clearly to blame, I believe the Council has a responsibility to deter people from fly-tipping and punish those who commit offences.

"In light of the successful action being taken in Carmarthenshire, would you [Councillor Ken Rowlands] consider working with your colleagues at Carmarthenshire County Council to learn from best practice?"

Leader of the Labour group in Pembrokeshire Council, Sue Perkins, added:

“I think people will be appalled when they learn how much they are spending on cleaning up other people’s mess and, at the same time, how little the Council is doing to deter fly-tippers.

“I will be asking Councillor Ken Rowlands what he intends to do to improve this situation.”

Joyce also warned that the council is able to fine individuals who have not taken care to ensure that waste from their property is disposed of properly:

“If you hire builders, tree fellers, house clearers, or anyone else who is removing waste items from your property, you need 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 now 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.
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