As part of East Staffordshire Borough Council’s commitment to combat fly tipping and the ongoing Tackle The Tippers campaign, officers from the East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Community and Civil Enforcement and Enforcement Teams joined forces to undertake an intelligence- based initiative on the 21st August 2024. Whilst the primary focus of the Initiative was concerning fly tipping, the Teams were also joined by officers from East Staffordshire Borough Council’s Selective Licensing Team, Staffordshire Police, Staffordshire Trading Standards and Home Office Immigration.
As a result of the Initiative:
- The Community and Civil Enforcement Team and Enforcement Team provided a highly visible presence in the area and identified: 16 separate incidents of fly tipping requiring further investigation, 6 additional fly tipping offences whereby offender/s have been identified thus requiring further action, 12 separate instances of waste on private land, an area identified with a large amount of littering, an abandoned vehicle, a licensed vehicle (‘taxi’) not complying with licence conditions – requiring further investigation, one person reported to be living in vehicle with no tax or MOT (referral made to relevant agency for support/investigation). Two other matters were identified for further enquiries to be conducted. Ten posters were also put up in local shops to help to educate members of the public regarding fly tipping.
- The Trading Standards Team reported they had seized from local shops; 747 vapes, 4.2kg of Hand Rolling Tobacco, 33,180 cigarettes, 15 packs of Shisha – with a retail value of around £28,000, in addition to this officers also found 135 items of illegally imported foods, surrendered to officers for destruction.
- Immigration Officers carried out database checks against all relevant individuals encountered.
- The Selective Licensing Team. Numerous addresses were checked, 3 properties were found to need further investigation regarding untidy land, 2 occupied properties were found to not have licences. In addition Officers identified fly tipping to be investigated further.
- Staffordshire Police with Officers in attendance from the Local Policing Team, Detectives and Police Community Support Officers carried out their own investigations and also supported other agencies entering into shops in Uxbridge Street through checking licences and seizing various items. Officers also spent time providing advice to multiple drivers regarding parking issues, registration plates and similar. Numerous persons were also spoken to on a variety of matters.
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Enforcement Team – CCTV – Officer, whilst scoping camera placements, identified 2 tents, with persons residing, (4 males by the river) with a fire lit. Two sites for mobile CCTV cameras were identified during the operation.
Fly tipping is not only a blight to residents and communities but costly to the tax payer in clear up costs, can serve as an attraction to rodents and other pests, is detrimental to local communities and can be hazardous to the local environment and to wildlife.
Fly tipping is an offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. Officers can issue fixed penalty notices of £400 and the Courts have various powers available to them to deal with fly tipping, including imprisonment, unlimited fines and an order to deprive rights to a vehicle used to commit the offence.We would ask anyone in the Borough with waste to dispose of to adhere to the following:
- Do not leave any items on the pavement or on Council land. This includes items of furniture or fridge freezers and various items left out for ‘scrap collectors’. This will still be classed as fly-tipping
- Do not leave items on the pavement stating ‘Free to good home’. Advertise any items through the correct channels and keep at home until they can be collected.
- Ensure that anyone employed to take your waste away is reputable and licensed. Ask to see a copy of their waste carriers licence and also ask for a receipt (often called a ‘tipping note’) A legitimate waste carrier will not mind waiting whilst you make your enquiries. If the waste is later found fly-tipped and traced back, action can be taken against you. You can receive a £200 Fixed Penalty Notice or be prosecuted.
- Checks can also be made by contacting the Environment Agency on: (03708) 506 506, Monday- Friday, 8am to 6pm or accessing the public register list on: Access the public register for environmental information - GOV.UK (www.gov.uk).
- Be aware that the Council offers a bulky waste collection service to collect and dispose of larger items. Bulky Items can be removed by the Council through the bulky waste collection service at a cost of £32.67 for up to three items with a fee of £7.62 for each additional item up to a maximum of ten. Fridges and freezers are charged at £21.78 per unit and a maximum of 3 can be collected.
- A bulky waste collection can be arranged via the East Staffordshire Borough Council website or by telephoning 0800 269098.
Cllr Simon Slater Cabinet Member for Communities and Regulatory Services commented “I would like to thank the officers involved for their work in collaboration with other agencies during this initiative and the positive results that followed. Anti-social Behaviour, including fly-tipping is an illegal act that blights our neighbourhoods and communities and I would urge residents to follow the advice provided in this release.”
Anyone wanting further advice or with information regarding fly-tipping can contact the Teams on (01283) 508506.
To report incidents of fly tipping, please telephone (01283) 508506 or report via the Council’s website on www.eaststaffsbc.gov.uk/environmental-health/fly-tipping.