RESIDENTS have been urged to make it harder for fly-tippers by not ‘paying cash to get rid of their trash’.

Buckinghamshire Council and Slough Borough Council have requested locals to pay waster carriers via online banking rather than cash-in-hand as it will be easier to track down and prosecute illegal dumpers.

According to Buckinghamshire councillor Gareth Williams, cabinet member for climate change and environment, 70 per cent of the rubbish fly-tipped in Bucks happens at the border and costs £600,000 to clear up every year.

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He said paying an anonymous ‘man in a van’ in cash means rubbish is far more likely to end up fly-tipped as rule-breakers want to avoid the disposal charge at a commercial tip.

He said: “Use a company that has a waste carrier licence, and ask for a record of who you’ve paid. By having an electronic method of payment, criminals are put off fly-tipping, and they are much easier to track down and prosecute if they do.”

Slough councillor Mohammed Nazir, cabinet member for transport and the local environment, said: “There is a lot of cross-border fly-tipping going on and we are delighted to be working with Buckinghamshire Council to share the message against paying cash to get rid of unwanted rubbish.

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“Fly-tipping is not acceptable behaviour, whether in your own borough, or a neighbouring one. We hope by following this simple advice, fly-tipping will be reduced in both areas.”

Residents have been warned if their rubbish has been fly-tipped and paid cash-in-hand, a £400 fixed penalty notice could be issued for failing in your ‘duty of care. If the incident is serious, this might rise to a court summons that could result in a criminal conviction and a big fine.