Cameras borrowed to trap fly-tippers (From Bucks Free Press)

Cameras borrowed to trap fly-tippers

9:05am Thursday 30th October 2003 in News By Margaret Smith

FLY-TIPPERS will be prosecuted - that's the message from Wycombe District Council.

There are around 20 hot spots in Wycombe district, where people dump anything from fridges to grass cuttings - and the council is about to get tough.

CCTV cameras borrowed from the Environment Agency have been in use for a month and if the council can get the evidence it will prosecute and people found guilty face heavy fines. A bid to buy cameras is also being put to the council's cabinet.

The cost of removing and disposing of illegally dumped rubbish costs the county council £500,000 a year and removing it in Wycombe costs the district council £60,000.

The number of incidents is rising. In 1996 in Wycombe it was 171, last year it was 863 and this year it is expected to be 931. Compare this with the number of prosecutions nationally. Just 207 illegal fly-tippers were successfully prosecuted by the Environment Agency and fined a total of £500,000 – the same as the cost to the county council of disposing of illegal waste.

Next Thursday environmental broadcaster John Craven will launch the councils' campaign against fly-tipping, with a 24-hour telephone hot line for people to shop a tipper.

Terry Hill, contract services manager for the council, said: "We need information about where it is happening, who is doing it and when."

In south Bucks someone who dumped in tyres in a country lane had his vehicle taken away for a month.

Mr Hill warned people about responding to people offering to clear out their homes for a tenner. "The rubbish goes into a lay-by and and we have to remove it," he said.

Brian Edgerley, a farmer from Cadmore End, said rubbish, including burned out cars, was illegally dumped on his land near the motorway. The council had put up a sign threatening a £2,000 fine and all that had happened was that it became part of the rubbish.

And he said disruption caused by travellers led villagers at Lane End put up posts and bollards.

Jonathon Williams, of Flackwell Heath, lives near another hot spot, Juniper Lane.

He called for zero tolerance "We will take down the car registrations, but we need to know the law is on our side We need to know there people will be taken to court. It ruins the fabric of the community when you go round and there is rubbish everywhere," he said.

Jason Eldridge, of council contractors Verdant, said one dump took six men three days to clear.