THE ‘toughest ever’ crackdown on fly-tippers is set to commence - with the government joining forces with the Environment Agency to pursue offenders after it was revealed just 32 people were handed fixed penalty notices in Barnsley despite almost 6,000 reports of fly-tipping being logged.
The ‘Waste Crime Action Plan’ has been backed by an additional £45m for the Environment Agency to pursue fly-tippers.
Under the plans, the government will ramp up efforts to punish offenders committing waste crime, including litterers.
This could see them ordered to complete up to 20 hours of unpaid work - cleaning streets and parks - as part of new ‘clean-up squads’ and required to repay the cost of clearing the waste they illegally dumped.
The government will also work with the insurance industry to create more comprehensive policies and remove any existing barriers, helping farmers, businesses, and landowners to be covered for the cost of clearing illegally dumped waste from their land.
The Environment Agency will also gain new police-style powers to search premises, seize assets and make arrests, and will create a new intelligence unit to go after criminal networks using aerial surveillance and financial data.
It comes after the Chronicle revealed a record-breaking £429,397 was spent by the council clearing up waste last year, an increase of more than £130,000 on the previous year.
The move has been welcomed by Barnsley North MP Dan Jarvis.
He told the Chronicle: Dan said: “I can’t stand fly-tipping and littering.
“They’re a blight on our communities and our town.
“So I’m pleased the government is backing councils like ours in Barnsley with the first multi-year funding settlement in over a decade, which will help tackle fly-tipping.
“This is alongside giving the Environment Agency police-style powers to clamp down on litter louts.
“But we can all do our bit in keeping our streets, parks and public spaces clean and tidy.”
Between May and September last year, a total of 1,391 fixed penalty notices - £100 each - were handed out purely for littering.
Dan added: “Waste crime costs the economy £1bn every year, with nearly 1.3 million incidents of fly-tipping recorded across the country last year alone.
“That’s why the new action plan sets out a zero-tolerance approach, with action to prevent waste crime at its source by closing loopholes and equipping regulators with the tools they need to stop waste criminals.”
Barnsley South MP Stephanie Peacock blasted fly-tippers’ attitudes.
“Cracking down on fly-tipping criminals is also crucial. If you pay someone to dispose of your waste, and they do so illegally, you can be charged for the crime. It is important therefore to familiarise yourself with what a legitimate waste carriers’ licence looks like, so that criminals cannot get away with dumping your rubbish without your consent.
“Fly-tipping is a blight on communities like Barnsley but, fortunately, solving it is in everyone’s best interests.
“With the right support from government, and the right changes across the country, there is no reason we can’t put an end to this terrible practice.”
