Fly-tippers hit with penalties totalling more than £3k

Three residents who did not heed advice on how to legally dispose of their household waste were each issued with £400 fixed penalty notices.

Two men were taken to court after failing to pay fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping, resulting in them being ordered to pay larger sums. One of them was ordered to pay more than £1,000.

A rogue trader who was suspected of tipping trade waste also got a £300 fixed penalty notice.

Fenland District Council portfolio holder for refuse and cleansing, parks and open spaces Cllr Peter Murphy said: "We will not tolerate fly-tipping in the district. If you do it expect to be found and fined.

"The district council provides excellent services for waste disposal. There is no excuse for dumping illegally."

Three women each paid £400 fixed penalty notices for failing to dispose of their household waste legally.

All three were repeatedly told to use allocated bins and not leave their household waste on a street in Wisbech.

Despite the residents being told the correct way to get rid of unwanted items, waste found belonging to them was dumped in an alleyway causing distress to residents. Allocated bins the waste was left next to remained unused.

The penalty notices were issued in March this year.

A Spalding man has paid a £300 fixed penalty notice for failing to provide evidence to enforcement officers that he disposed of his trade waste legally.

Image above: Waste dumped in Treading Bank, Wisbech

The man was suspected of involvement in a fly-tip in Treading Bank, Wisbech, which blocked a rural road in January last year (2023).

Persistent officers eventually tracked down the rogue trader and asked to see an audit trail of his paperwork for the last six months. He was unable to provide records showing he had taken waste he was collecting as part of his business to an official waste site and was issued a fixed penalty notice.

A man who was spotted piling rubbish from a house into West Street Car Park, Wisbech, had to pay a total of £530.

Image above: Waste dumped in West Street car park, Wisbech.

The man had been issued with a £400 fixed penalty notice but failed to pay and was summoned to court. When he failed to appear, a warrant was issued for his arrest.

On March 19 this year, the man appeared in court and was ordered to pay a total of £530.

Another man involved in the same incident, which happened in May last year, was dealt with in court in August and ordered to pay a total of £1,010.

Responsibilities and services

Residents and traders employing the services of a waste disposal firm are responsible for checking anyone who disposes of their waste does so legally. If your waste is found fly-tipped you can be held responsible and face a penalty or prosecution.

Fenland District Council provides compliant waste disposal services for household and trade waste:

• Find out more about our bulky waste service. We can collect several larger household items from outside your home for a fixed fee.
• Find out more about our trade commercial waste service. We can collect general waste, food waste and mixed dry recycling for local businesses, schools, charities and community groups.

Residents can also take household waste to a Cambridgeshire County Council recycling centre for free.

Fenland District Council responds to reports of fly-tipping and pursues those responsible. Report fly-tipping at www.fenland.gov.uk/flytipping or phone 01354 654321.

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May 2024