More than 3,500 cases of fly-tipping were reported to Bradford Council for 2008/09, which represents an increase of nine per cent on the previous 12 months.

The jump is being put down to the rising costs of disposing of waste together with the effects of the recession and is as depressing as it was predictable.

After all, experts calculate that disposing of rubbish illegally can save fly-tippers at least £62 per tonne, and in tough times that sort of mathematics is bound to tempt more people.

Over the same period, there have actually been fewer prosecutions together with a small rise in fixed-penalty notices – from 22 to 35. This just does not seem good enough.

For deterrence to work, would-be fly-tippers need to know that there is a good chance of them being caught if they illegally dump rubbish. They also need to know that when caught they will be heavily fined. At present, those two criteria are not being met.

The fact that a fine of more than £4,500 was handed out to a businessman who tried to get rid of trade waste by burning it on Bonfire Night satisfies the second point. But as Ian Bairstow, strategic director for environment and neighbourhoods, admits, the chances of fly-tippers being caught are small.

And unless and until that changes, fly-tipping will remain a costly blight on too many areas.