The problem of fly-tipping that is blighting the Bradford district is getting worse, according to new figures, with more than 10,000 incidents recorded which have cost £685,497 to clear up.

This is an appalling burden to place on the public purse at a time of austerity – and it is a horrendous problem for the vast majority of people who would never dream of dumpling waste.

Let’s be clear – there are no excuses for this type of behaviour, and it needs to be dealt with strongly and swiftly.

However, concerns remain that the issue has been exacerbated by the introduction of a household waste permit scheme, which some feared would lead to an increase in tipping.

The root of the problem, though, is the small but persistent minority of miscreants who show no consideration for others in their community and continue to fly-tip at will.

Given the amount of incidents reported it is more than a little disappointing to see that only 31 people have been prosecuted.

And no figures have been provided showing how many of these were successful and what level of punishment was imposed on those convicted.

What this small number clearly does show, though, is that not enough of these perpetrators are caught and brought before the courts.

The Council says it wants the public to help them catch the offenders by reporting any offences or evidence they see, and that should be encouraged.

By the same token, though, the public need to know that action will be taken – and offenders will be dealt with appropriately.