The choice of West Yorkshire as a pilot area for a regionally stronger approach to tackling waste crime will benefit places like Halifax, says the town’s MP.
Kate Dearden, who is a junior minister, says a reformed partnership between national and regional agencies and councils will deliver better intelligence and capability sharing at a local level.
This will better support action on criminal gangs illegally dumping and fly-tipping waste, she believes.
From Autumn 2026, West Yorkshire Mayor Tracy Brabin will be given a leading role in tackling waste crime through new regional multi-agency partnerships.
This arrangement builds on the national partnership model of the Joint Unit for Waste Crime, but with decisions now driven by regional intelligence and by the communities most affected, said Ms Dearden.
She said she has raised the issue repeatedly with government colleagues after hearing from residents about the scale and impact of illegal waste dumping across Halifax.
Ms Dearden said illegal dumping can damage pride in an area, create serious environmental and safety risks and leave local people and taxpayers footing the bill for the clean-up, she said.
New action will see an end to the two-year time limit on confiscating cash, cars, houses and other assets bought with the proceeds of waste crime, and Fixed Penalty Notices issued by the Environment Agency for waste will rise from £300 to £5,000.
A new consultation launched on clean-up squads, which would give councils stronger powers to issue conditional cautions requiring fly-tippers to complete up to 20 hours of unpaid clean-up work, while recovering the cost of clearing the mess directly from offenders so taxpayers are not left to foot the bill, are also among the measures.
More officers will boost the Environment Agency’s capacity to tackle this issue will grow, she said.
“At my recent street surgery in Southowram, residents told me about the impact illegal dumping is having on their community.
“People take real pride in the places they live, and it is deeply unfair that they are left dealing with the mess, disruption and potential dangers caused by those who dump waste illegally.
“These new measures will mean tougher fines, stronger powers to pursue criminal gangs and proposals to make fly-tippers clean up the mess they create, rather than leaving local people and taxpayers to foot the bill.
“This is an important step towards cleaner and safer streets across Halifax.
“I will be working closely with local partners to ensure these new powers deliver the change residents deserve,” she said.
New moves to tackle waste crime were recently welcomed by Calderdale Council’s leader.
But Coun Dan Sutherland believes they still need to go further to help authorities like Calderdale to tackle those involved in the organised crime behind it.
Coun Sutherland (Reform UK, Illingworth and Mixenden) believes more can be done by further strengthening the powers councils can use themselves.
“Strengthening powers councils have in their own right to bring the criminals to book would help the clampdown.
“Whilst the announcement is welcome, it is still not enough to tackle the scale of the challenge of the sustained organised crime that we’re having to deal with.
“We need the council to be given extensive powers to bring these criminals to justice,” he said.
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