Figures released this week by MK Council show fly-tipping has dropped by as much as a fifth following the introduction of CCTV cameras in hotspots.
They say in September, fly-tipping incidences were down 19% year to year.
The Council has invested in CCTV cameras, which alongside dashcam footage provided by members of the public can help it take more action against people dumping waste.
Over the last year, Milton Keynes Council has issued 129 Fixed Penalty Notices for waste crimes including 53 for fly-tipping.
Milton Keynes magistrates have heard five fly-tipping cases with ten more awaiting prosecution.
They’ve issued penalties adding up to £5,000 as well as ordering one offender to work for 120 hours as “community payback”.
In September, the Council set aside an extra £200,000 to to clamp down even harder on fly-tipping, publicise how to get rid of waste legally, and to boost its environmental enforcement team to seven people.
The team also has legal powers to combat:
- littering
- those who don't clean up after their dogs
- those who graffiti
- and those who abandon cars
Cllr Lauren Townsend, Cabinet Member for the Public Realm said, “While we recognise there will always be a minority of selfish people who feel the rules shouldn’t apply to them, we’ll be working hard to combat more fly-tipping, especially in known hotspots. We see incidences of household rubbish being dumped right up to hazardous commercial waste which can cost thousands to deal with. We sort it out as fast as we can, but the best result is for it not to be dumped in the first place.”
She added: “As well as investing more in CCTV, new powers are being given to local areas for community clear outs and extra litter wardens have been recruited, now with powers to issue on the spot fines.”
