Gloucester City Council seeks urgent help to clear fly tipping site
A letter to the Prime Minister is asking for support clearing asbestos on the site
Councillor Jeremy Hilton, the Leader of Gloucester City Council, has written a letter directly to the Prime Minister, Andy Burnham, asking for support clearing a fly tipping site at Severnside Farm, behind the St Oswalds Retail Park.
More than 80 tonnes of fly-tipped waste have already been removed in a joint operation with the Environment Agency, police and other partners. Hazardous asbestos was found amongst the rubbish, halting the operation.
It is now expected to cost a further £200,000 to clear the area.
It follows a recent social media video in which Andy Burnham said that those responsible for illegal dumping would ''not get away with it on my watch.''
Councillor Hilton also called for support from national agencies, including the National Crime Agency, to help identify and prosecute those behind the illegal dumping operation.
He said, ''The Prime Minister has publicly pledged support for communities affected by environmental crime. We welcome that commitment and are now asking the Government to help us finish the job.
Gloucester is prepared to be at the forefront of tackling illegal waste crime. We are willing to take decisive enforcement action, work closely with partner agencies and pursue those responsible through the courts. But local taxpayers should not be left to carry the full cost of dealing with organised environmental crime.”
The council is seeking urgent discussions with Government ministers on securing funding and completing the clean-up operation.