Issue - meetings

A presentation will be given by Duncan Jones, Partnership Development Manager at Hertfordshire Waste Partnership

D Jones, Partnership Development Manager – Hertfordshire Waste Partnership gave a presentation to members regarding fly-tipping in Hertfordshire. The main points of the presentation were as follows:

• In 2016/17, there were 15,216 recorded incidents of fly-tipping across Hertfordshire which cost £1.1 million.
• The Hertfordshire Fly Tipping Group have been working closely with the Police and Crime Commissioner and have been able to access the nuisance fund which is worth £100,000 per annum. In 2016/17, the Hertfordshire Fly Tipping Group received £82,266 of this money and £50,000 in 2017/18.
• The group found that there was little publicity about enforcement action and this has now been included on the work programme.
• Small fines in the Magistrates Court are not acting as a deterrent so the group have produced a report for the Magistrates Association to explain the costs of fly tipping on local authorities.
• A common definition of fly tipping has been agreed so cases can now be compared like for like across the county.
• 60% of fly tipping in Hertfordshire is domestic in nature
• In 2016/17, there were 36 prosecutions and 31 Fixed Penalty Notices. In 2017/18 so far, there have been 18 prosecutions and 64 Fixed Penalty Notices. Before the Fixed Penalty Notices, all cases had to go to court.

Councillor Timmis said in her ward, fly tipping has become endemic. It is a largely rural area so it is hard to catch the offenders. The fines are not enough to deter fly tippers and £300 could buy you skip. She said she had spoken to farmers who are fed up of fly tipping on their land, it costs them £1000 each time to clear it up. Councillor Timmis felt that not enough was being done and a Keep Britain Tidy survey found that 40% didn’t think fly tipping was a crime and 11% had admitted they had done it.

D Jones said he agreed that catching the offenders was the most difficult part. Currently, offenders feel the risk is worth it but the punishments are changing. CCTV cameras can now be mobile and wildlife cameras have been used but they have to be in the right place at the right time to catch fly tippers. In 2014, new sentencing guidelines were introduced for environmental issues and the group are working with local authorities to ensure they properly document the costs of fly tipping. In relation to farmers, it has been an on going debate but there is not an easy solution.

Councillor Timmis said that most of the fly tipping is from builders coming up from London. If there is evidence of the source and the homeowner has paid for removal then the onus should be on them.

D Jones said that residents have a duty of care to dispose of their waste legally. They can be fined or sent to prison but this is not commonly known. The Environment Agency have a website where waste removal licences can be checked.

Councillor Birnie asked about the fines and if  ...  view the full minutes text for item 149