A LOCAL councillor is calling on Barnsley Council to introduce CCTV cameras in ‘hotspot’ areas blighted by fly-tippers.
Coun Steve Bullcock, who represents the Kingstone ward, has long been campaigning for tougher stances and quick dealings for those who choose to fly-tip on Barnsley’s streets.
Figures from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs show 4,980 fly-tipping incidents were reported in Barnsley in the year to March 2024 - up from 4,404 the year before.
Fly-tipping in Barnsley was most common on footpaths or bridgeways - 34 per cent - while household waste accounted for 76 per cent of the illegally dumped rubbish reports.
The DEFRA figures also reveal a slight drop in the number of enforcement actions, with fixed-penalty notices dropping five per cent.
This includes 28 notices issued in Barnsley.
Coun Bullcock says that around a third of all fly-tipping incidents across the borough take place in his ward.
And at last week’s full council meeting, he called for new CCTV cameras to be placed in hotspot areas tippers use.
One of those is behind Pond Street.
He told the Chronicle: “The council team responsible for clearing fly tipped waste do an excellent job responding quickly to cleaning up clearing fly-tipping up.
“In all honesty they are second to none cleaning up after those that do not care.
“However cleaning up after others costs money - money that could be spent on looking after vulnerable people and other important matters that affect our town.”
In 2022/23 - the latest figures currently available - the authority spent £265,000 on clearing and disposing of litter and fly-tipping.
Coun Bullcock added: “We now have to up our game by catching more of those responsible for trashing our town fortunately it’s only small minority of individuals but it still costs in excess of £250,000 every year and shows no sign of reducing.
“We need to identify those responsible if this means using modern technology along with such as covert or mobile cameras so be it.
“Coupled with other ideas we can end this never ending problem in our town.”
At Thursday’s full council meeting, Coun Wendy Cain, cabinet spokesperson for public health and communities, responded to Coun Bullcock’s concerns - but said the council would not be investing in the measures.
She said: “We have experienced problems with theft and damage to the cameras in the past.
“But covert CCTV cameras are used.
“The most recent example is three people who were identified on the same night on the same street.
“We have had more successful prosecutions for fly-tipping in the last 12 months than we did have previously.”
Coun Bullcock asked the council if they thought they were letting residents down in his supplementary question.
Coun Cain responded: “The council is working very hard and doing all that we can.”
