FLYTIPPING is one of our biggest bugbears as it ruins our beauty spots and countryside.
Figures showed that in nearly 944 reported incidents of flytipping in the Royal Borough of Windsor and Maidenhead, zero fixed penalty notices were issued.
The data from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs refer to 2019/20 and showed and placed the borough behind the average for the whole of England for enforcement.
The Local Government Association has warned that nationally the offence costs taxpayers almost £50 million a year to clear up.
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Photo by PA
Only 1.38 per cent of more than 975,000 incidents nationally resulted in fixed penalty notices.
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Fly-tipping is a serious criminal offence. It carries a fine of up to £20,000 and you can even be sent to prison.
It is also an offence to allow fly-tipping if you know it’s going on and the police have the power to seize vehicles used for fly-tipping.
If you allow your car or vehicle to be used for fly-tipping, even if you are not driving yourself, you can still be prosecuted.
Fly-tipping should be reported to the local council or the Environment Agency.
Reporting to the Police should only be where large scale illegal dumping or hazardous waste is involved.
A council spokesman said: “Fly tipping is a crime. Frequently, it takes more effort to fly tip rubbish than it would to take the same waste to a refuse and recycling centre.
“While it is always our intention to prosecute where we can, it is not always possible to identify the perpetrators
“The council appointed District Enforcement in October 2020 and its specialist officers provide enforcement services for highways and waste, including littering, fly-tipping and other environmental offences in order to make the borough a cleaner and safer place to live, work and visit
“The council is determined to address residents’ concerns about fly-tipping. Fly tipping in our borough is wrong.”
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