'Dob in flytippers', ex-council house tenants told

10:30am Wednesday 26th September 2012 in News By James Nadal

'Dob in flytippers', ex-council house tenants told 'Dob in flytippers', ex-council house tenants told

EX-COUNCIL housing tenants are being told to 'dob in' flytippers as they are warned it is their money being spent on clean ups.

Red Kite Community Housing, which bought Wycombe's stock of over 6,000 council homes last year, says thousands of pounds are being wasted clearing up illegally dumped waste.

Baths, tyres and wardrobes are among the items found by its staff.

Trevor Morrow, the organisation's chief executive, said: "People who don't do anything and are keeping quiet, they're the ones paying for it.

"Don't just think because someone else clears it up you are not paying for it, you are. "People just don't think of that, but that's what's will motivate people." He issued this message to leaseholders and tenants: "Get onto the hotline and dob them in, at least we have a chance to get the money back."

People will start noticing the costs when they get their service charge bills, he added.

According to Red Kite more rural areas such as Marlow have been targeted because of the amount of space there is to dump waste.

Service roads around areas like Castlefield and Mickelfield, High Wycombe, have also been a problem.

The average fine for people found guilty of fly-tipping is £1299 and Mr Morrow said that offenders "deserve to get heavy fines".

He said: "It's a particularly selfish act, damaging to the community and its illegal at the end of the day.

"There is no grey area, there is no one who doesn't know it's wrong, there's no excuses. "People have to be more responsible."

Regular inspections are carried but he said: "The problem is it's quite a silent crime and it rarely happens during the day it happens when not many people are out and about so we are reliance on residents to help us."

Last year more than five hundred incidents of fly-tipping, costing the tax payer over £47,000, were reported within the Wycombe district, council figures showed.

The Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire has secured 331 convictions for fly-tipping offences since 2003.

Call its hotline on 0845 3301856.

Comments (8)

1:56pm Wed 26 Sep 12

Judge 2 says...

I live in one of the named areas and would add that the problem is not easy to detect. Those that fly tip do so when the likelihood of being seen is very low or impossible due to the time or loaction being isolated. From my information, those that have been prosecuted for this crime are normally caught by CCTV.
I live in one of the named areas and would add that the problem is not easy to detect. Those that fly tip do so when the likelihood of being seen is very low or impossible due to the time or loaction being isolated. From my information, those that have been prosecuted for this crime are normally caught by CCTV. Judge 2

6:20pm Wed 26 Sep 12

hm1 says...

Judge 2 wrote:
I live in one of the named areas and would add that the problem is not easy to detect. Those that fly tip do so when the likelihood of being seen is very low or impossible due to the time or loaction being isolated. From my information, those that have been prosecuted for this crime are normally caught by CCTV.
or from materials found in the waste with personal details on. Really good points.

I think it is good to ask people to be vigilant but more work needs to be done on making sure people won't pay the cowboys to take it away in the first place. Cheaper, easier options for people looking to get rid of waste and information to folks so they know paying someone who knocks on the door, or sticks a poster with a mobile number to a lamppost are not authorised people to take away your waste.
[quote][p][bold]Judge 2[/bold] wrote: I live in one of the named areas and would add that the problem is not easy to detect. Those that fly tip do so when the likelihood of being seen is very low or impossible due to the time or loaction being isolated. From my information, those that have been prosecuted for this crime are normally caught by CCTV.[/p][/quote]or from materials found in the waste with personal details on. Really good points. I think it is good to ask people to be vigilant but more work needs to be done on making sure people won't pay the cowboys to take it away in the first place. Cheaper, easier options for people looking to get rid of waste and information to folks so they know paying someone who knocks on the door, or sticks a poster with a mobile number to a lamppost are not authorised people to take away your waste. hm1

7:56am Thu 27 Sep 12

Stalemate says...

What is most concerning is that Trevor Morrow did not build a contingency into his budget for dealing with this problem.

Fly-tipping in low income estates with service roads is a perennial problem and the fact that it is not allocated on the budget is not the tenant's problem, it is a gross error by the management team of Red Kite.

For Red Kite to now position this as an additional charge that tenants must now pay through service charge bills is despicable.

Red Kite are probably now just realising that running council housing stock is not a viable business, so best the management make as much as possible in pay and bonuses by stiffing tenants before bailing out and riding of into the sunset when the business goes pop and has to be bailed out by WDC.

But Red Kite didn't plan this, honest ;-)
What is most concerning is that Trevor Morrow did not build a contingency into his budget for dealing with this problem. Fly-tipping in low income estates with service roads is a perennial problem and the fact that it is not allocated on the budget is not the tenant's problem, it is a gross error by the management team of Red Kite. For Red Kite to now position this as an additional charge that tenants must now pay through service charge bills is despicable. Red Kite are probably now just realising that running council housing stock is not a viable business, so best the management make as much as possible in pay and bonuses by stiffing tenants before bailing out and riding of into the sunset when the business goes pop and has to be bailed out by WDC. But Red Kite didn't plan this, honest ;-) Stalemate

12:03pm Thu 27 Sep 12

hm1 says...

Or are Red Kite trying to find a way of saying - we know it is our residents dumping the waste, so we're finding a way for the people causing the problem to pay for the problem (which is a massive sweeping generalisation and probably quite unfair in a number of ways!)
Or are Red Kite trying to find a way of saying - we know it is our residents dumping the waste, so we're finding a way for the people causing the problem to pay for the problem (which is a massive sweeping generalisation and probably quite unfair in a number of ways!) hm1

2:16pm Thu 27 Sep 12

Me, just me says...

Why dont people just take their rubbish to booker dump?? I really dont understand some people. Idiots
Why dont people just take their rubbish to booker dump?? I really dont understand some people. Idiots Me, just me

5:55pm Thu 27 Sep 12

hm1 says...

Me, just me wrote:
Why dont people just take their rubbish to booker dump?? I really dont understand some people. Idiots
Laziness, but often some people are still under the impression town 'dumps' don't take a lot of things, like white goods and furniture. Yes, traders need licenses, and if you're taking big items you need a permit but they're free! The site at High Heavens is brilliant since its revamp a few years back, and there is a fantastic recycling shop there now raising funds for the South Bucks Hospice.
[quote][p][bold]Me, just me[/bold] wrote: Why dont people just take their rubbish to booker dump?? I really dont understand some people. Idiots[/p][/quote]Laziness, but often some people are still under the impression town 'dumps' don't take a lot of things, like white goods and furniture. Yes, traders need licenses, and if you're taking big items you need a permit but they're free! The site at High Heavens is brilliant since its revamp a few years back, and there is a fantastic recycling shop there now raising funds for the South Bucks Hospice. hm1

5:59am Tue 2 Oct 12

Barbara B says...

hm1 wrote:
Or are Red Kite trying to find a way of saying - we know it is our residents dumping the waste, so we're finding a way for the people causing the problem to pay for the problem (which is a massive sweeping generalisation and probably quite unfair in a number of ways!)
I don't think it says that at all. Mr Morrow is saying that Red Kite tenants have to pay to have fly tipped rubbish removed from Red Kite land whoever dumped it be it a tenant or home owner.
[quote][p][bold]hm1[/bold] wrote: Or are Red Kite trying to find a way of saying - we know it is our residents dumping the waste, so we're finding a way for the people causing the problem to pay for the problem (which is a massive sweeping generalisation and probably quite unfair in a number of ways!)[/p][/quote]I don't think it says that at all. Mr Morrow is saying that Red Kite tenants have to pay to have fly tipped rubbish removed from Red Kite land whoever dumped it be it a tenant or home owner. Barbara B

6:05am Tue 2 Oct 12

Barbara B says...

Stalemate wrote:
What is most concerning is that Trevor Morrow did not build a contingency into his budget for dealing with this problem.

Fly-tipping in low income estates with service roads is a perennial problem and the fact that it is not allocated on the budget is not the tenant's problem, it is a gross error by the management team of Red Kite.

For Red Kite to now position this as an additional charge that tenants must now pay through service charge bills is despicable.

Red Kite are probably now just realising that running council housing stock is not a viable business, so best the management make as much as possible in pay and bonuses by stiffing tenants before bailing out and riding of into the sunset when the business goes pop and has to be bailed out by WDC.

But Red Kite didn't plan this, honest ;-)
There isn't any mention in the report that there isn't a budget for it! It simply says that by reporting any dumping you provide a means to recoup some of the costs and if the situation continues to get worse then service charges may have to increase as will council tax if dumping continues to increase on council land. Removal of rubbish has to be paid for by someone it isn't a free service.
[quote][p][bold]Stalemate[/bold] wrote: What is most concerning is that Trevor Morrow did not build a contingency into his budget for dealing with this problem. Fly-tipping in low income estates with service roads is a perennial problem and the fact that it is not allocated on the budget is not the tenant's problem, it is a gross error by the management team of Red Kite. For Red Kite to now position this as an additional charge that tenants must now pay through service charge bills is despicable. Red Kite are probably now just realising that running council housing stock is not a viable business, so best the management make as much as possible in pay and bonuses by stiffing tenants before bailing out and riding of into the sunset when the business goes pop and has to be bailed out by WDC. But Red Kite didn't plan this, honest ;-)[/p][/quote]There isn't any mention in the report that there isn't a budget for it! It simply says that by reporting any dumping you provide a means to recoup some of the costs and if the situation continues to get worse then service charges may have to increase as will council tax if dumping continues to increase on council land. Removal of rubbish has to be paid for by someone it isn't a free service. Barbara B

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