Fly-tipping more than doubles across Bradford district (From Bradford Telegraph and Argus)

More than 8,000 incidents of dumped waste in a year

7:50am Wednesday 14th December 2011 in Bradford By Anika Bourley

Above, furniture dumped in a residential street in Bradford

The number of Fly-tipping incidents across the district has more than doubled in a year topping 8,000.

But despite the rise across Bradford, nationally incidents of illegal dumping have fallen.

Figures released yesterday by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs also show there were 8,123 fly-tipping incidents in Bradford in 2010/11 – up from 4,170 in 2009/10.

Of the total, more than half the incidents were of household waste, along with 889 of commercial waste and 847 cases of construction waste.

Action was taken against 2,732 people and council chiefs led 521 investigations.

However just 23 people were successfully prosecuted.

Nationally incidents decreased by 13.5 per cent across England to 820,000 and 2,400 people were prosecuted.

Yesterday Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said that the Government planned to give local authorities more powers to take action against flytippers.

Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman said: “Dumping rubbish along highway verges and other public places is irresponsible, damages the environment and spoils everyone’s enjoyment of the countryside.

“Fly-tipping figures are down and prosecutions are up, but the menace of fly-tippers still costs taxpayers more than £40 million every year.

“That’s why we’re cracking down by giving enforcement authorities stronger powers to seize suspected fly-tippers’ vehicles, and working with the courts to make sure the punishment fits the crime.”

The Government said it will be introducing stronger powers for local authorities and the Environment Agency to seize vehicles suspected of involvement in fly-tipping and is considering whether current fine levels are tough enough.

Successive governments have repeatedly warned councils to get tough on the problem and gave councils the powers to search and seize vehicles used to commit fly-tipping.

Magistrates have the power to impose five-year jail terms and illegal tippers can be ordered to forfeit their cars, or be banned from driving.

The estimated cost of clearance by local authorities in 2010-11 was £41.3 million, a reduction of £4.5 million or 9.8 per cent compared to 2009-10.

In addition to that, councils spent an estimated £20.6 million on enforcement action against fly-tipping in 2010-11.

A report earlier this year from the Countryside Alliance said fly-tipping incidents were increasing around the country because of two-weekly bin collections.

In June the government’s Waste Review – which includes the tougher powers to fight fly-tipping – confirmed that ministers were not pushing ahead with plans to force local councils to reintroduce weekly bin collections, despite the Tories previously having championed the issue.