Residents fined £600 each for illegal waste removal

Four fixed penalty notices have been handed out over the past six weeks

Four Cotswold residents have been fined £600 each in a matter of weeks after their waste was disposed of illegally or fly-tipped.

Cotswold District Council has reminded residents and businesses of their legal responsibility to ensure a licensed carrier removes their waste.

The fixed penalty notices were issued by the council as part of what they called their "ongoing efforts" to protect the environment and combat fly-tipping.

Councillor Juliet Layton said: "It's crucial for residents and businesses to check where their waste is going and who is disposing of it."

'A serious impact'

Failure of residents to ensure their waste is removed can result in significant penalties.

"We want to remind everyone in the district that they have a legal duty to ensure their waste is disposed of correctly by a licensed carrier," the cabinet member for planning and regulatory services added.

"Fly-tipping and illegal waste disposal can have a serious impact on the environment, and we all have a responsibility to prevent it.

"The recent penalties issued are a clear demonstration that we take this matter very seriously."

Earlier this year, the council was awarded more than £38,000 from the government's "Fly-tipping Intervention Grant Scheme" to strengthen its fly-tipping enforcement activities.

This funding has supported new initiatives to further clamp down on those responsible for fly-tipping and other environmental offences, the council said.

It has urged residents and businesses to review their waste disposal practices, ensuring compliance with the law, and safeguarding the beauty of the district's environment.

Information on whether a waste carrier is licensed can be found on the council's website.