Flytippers to be “robustly” targeted in Gateshead
Gateshead council say they're going to actively crack down on flytippers - after a series of successful prosecutions
A North East council has put malicious and professional flytippers on notice, following a set of successful prosecutions and a boost to its enforcement abilities. In recent weeks, Gateshead Council has successfully taken two men to court resulting in fixed penalty notices.
The incidents, taking place in January and February this year, resulted in guilty pleas from two men and fines totalling over £600. The flytipping took place in Birtley and Brinkburn Avenue, near to the Shipley Art Gallery, respectively. One alleged accomplice did not attend court and a warrant is out for his arrest.
Gateshead Council is also poised to introduce a higher fixed penalty notice for fly-tipping, as well as other offences. The current fine sits at £400.
Following a £2.7m boost in council funding to help protect Gateshead environment, seven new employees to help tackle fly-tipping, and increased CCTV, the local authority now feels better placed to track down malicious litterers including professional fly-tippers.
Gateshead Council environment officer Andy Proudlock said: “These are treated as malicious acts.”
Mr Proudlock continued: “We will target them and target them robustly. We will utilise the support from local residents to provide us with that information. However, we will also use our own intelligence gatherer on fly-tippers. Not just our own but also commercial CCTV.”
Although happy with the most recent legal decisions, Mr Proudlock also explained prosecutions can be a long process. Mr Proudlock added: “The burden of proof for the investigations for fly-tipping is still with the council and needs to be beyond all reasonable doubt.
“The cases are substantial investigations, there can be a number of witnesses and a lot of time needs to be taken into consideration.”
Officers acknowledge that while historically, areas with high-walled backlanes like Bensham have historically seen great deals of fly-tipping, it is not just isolated to these areas. Environment officer Proudlock also reminded residents to get in touch with the council, even anonymously, to report fly-tips, so they can be cleaned-up as quickly as possible.
The council has also emphasised the importance of education to make residents more aware of how to properly dispose of their rubbish. This includes reminding residents that rubbish bags placed next to full bonus will not be picked up by refuse workers.