Agenda item

Report of the Head of Community Services

The Environmental Protection Team Manager presented the report to members and gave a presentation on the actions being taken to reduce fly tipping.  

Councillor S Sheahan commented that it would be interesting to see what other authorities did differently, for example, whether others offered a free bulky waste collection.  He felt it would be more useful to look at the actual costs incurred by fly tips. 

In response to comments from Councillor S Sheahan, the Environmental Protection Team Manager explained that the different reporting approaches used by other authorities made it difficult to compare on a like for like basis.  She added that the work being undertaken was having a measurable positive impact.  She explained that most fly tips were not large items and mainly occurred where people had paid someone to take away household waste.  She advised that the aim was to encourage the general public to support officers more in tackling the problem, and officers were working towards launching an app to enable people to report issues, and to enable officers to be more responsive.  She added that a drone had also been purchased and would be put in to use pending permission from the civil aviation authority.

The Waste Services Team Manager agreed to provide more information on the bulky waste services offered by other local authorities.  She provided an update on the issues at Netherfield Lane which had been a prolific fly tipping location for many years.  She outlined the issues around access and gating of the area and explained that the team had stopped clearing the site due to the gate being erected. 

The Environmental Protection Team Manager explained that a campaign was being undertaken which included signage, the installation of cameras, the mobile CCTV camera and observations by staff. 

Councillor S Sheahan welcomed the campaign and felt that prevention was the right approach.  He requested more information on the cost of fly tips. 

Councillor N Smith congratulated officers on the improvements made and welcomed the installation of cameras.  He referred to a specific area in Ravenstone which had become the target of fly tipping.

The Environmental Protection Team Manager advised that she had been in discussions with Leicestershire County Council on other hotspots in the area and would raise the issue of this site at their next meeting. 

Councillor T Eynon expressed concerns about the costs to residents of bulky waste collections and the impact of this on poorer households.  She felt it would be interesting to compare how much the council was making from its bulky waste collections compared with other authorities. 

The Head of Community Services advised that this was a complex issue, however he agreed to provide the fees and charges for the next year which were currently being drawn up. 

The Environmental Protection Team Manager explained that the council sought to recover the costs of fly tipping during prosecutions.  

In response to a question from Councillor N Clarke, the Environmental Protection Team Manager advised that consideration was being given to providing skips in certain areas as part of an environmental day next year.

In response to comments and questions from Councillor V Richichi, the Environmental Protection Team Manager advised that the 29 fixed penalties issued had not solely been related to bring sites.  She explained that the campaign at the bring sites concentrated on a combination of enforcement and education as many people did not realise that leaving a bag by the side of the bin was classified as a fly tip.  In response to concerns raised by Councillor V Richichi about issuing fixed penalty notices at bring sites, the Environmental Protection Team Manager stated that this had not resulted in a reduction in recycling or an increase in fly tipping.  She added that the campaign had resulted in a change of behaviour and an increased understanding that leaving recycling at the side of the bins could result in a fixed penalty notice. 

Councillor M Specht congratulated the team on their sterling work and commented that both Farm Town and Church Town had been free of fly tips for 5 weeks, which was a huge success. 

In response to a question from Councillor G Hoult, the Environmental Protection Team Manager advised that feedback from the consultation on the proposal to introduce a new fixed penalty fine in relation to householders’ not fulfilling their duty of care with regards to their waste was due in November.  She agreed to provide an update once this was received. 

RESOLVED THAT:

The report be noted.