Councils in Devon have welcomed new powers from the Government to help in the fight against fly-tipping writes local democracy reporter Daniel Clark.

Financial penalties of up to £400 can be imposed for householders whose waste is found fly-tipped or those who fail to give their waste to a licensed carrier.

The new penalties, which are expected to come into force early next year, will make it easier for councils to tackle fly-tipping and provide an alternative to putting cases through the courts, which can be a lengthy and costly process.

In 2016-17, clearing up fly-tipping incidents cost councils in England £57.7-million, with around two thirds of all fly-tipped waste containing household waste.

Cllr Robert Sampson, lead member for commercial services at West Devon Borough Council, said that fly-tipping was a blight on the landscape caused by simple ignorance.

He said: ‘I welcome today’s announcement from the Government. 

‘It’s very easy to check if the person offering to take your waste to the recycling centre has a waste carrier’s licence.

‘If you don’t carry out this simple check and your waste ends up in the countryside, you are culpable.

‘Residents may take most household items to the recycling centres free of charge, so if someone is offering you a “cheap tip run” ask yourself why it’s cheap — and don’t risk it.’

Cllr Ken James, lead member for the environment for Torridge District Council, said: ‘The new legislation closes a loophole in the current regime whereby we have the option of issuing a fixed penalty notice for fly-tipping, but the householder duty of care offence could previously only be dealt with though the courts.

‘The council’s maximum penalty for fly-tipping under a fixed penalty has recently been set at £400.

‘We will be seeking to apply a similar level to other fixed penalty notices allowed for under the new scheme.

We take these sort of offences very seriously and will use all the powers at our disposal to bring offenders to account.’

When using private waste collectors, the advice is to always follow the SCRAP code:

Suspect — beware of rogue waste collectors

Check — ask for their waste carrier registration

Refuse — do not be tempted by unsolicited offers to take your rubbish away

Ask questions — ask where your rubbish is going

Paperwork — make sure you get a proper receipt listing the rubbish removed and including the carriers’ details

Environment minister Thérèse Coffey said: ‘Fly-tipping is an unacceptable blight on our landscapes.

‘Many people do not realise they have a legal duty to look up waste carriers and we want councils to step up and inform their residents.

‘We must all take responsibility and make sure our waste does not end up in the hands of criminals who will wilfully dump it.

‘These new powers will help us to crack down on rogue waste carriers.’

The Government has also issued guidance to ensure councils use these new powers proportionately and make clear fines should not be used as a means of raising revenue.

To strike the right balance householders should not be fined for minor breaches.

The guidance also stresses that consideration should be given if the individual involved is a vulnerable person due to age related ill-health or a mental or physical disability.