PCCs welcome bigger fines for fly-tipping

Five PCCs wrote to the Environment Minister, Therese Coffey

Police bosses have welcomed bigger fines for people who fly tip rubbish.

Five police and crime commissioners (PCCs) in South West England wrote to the Environment Minister, Therese Coffey, about the issue.

They called for the introduction of a waste crime offenders' list and for repeat offenders to be given greater fines.

The government confirmed the maximum fixed penalty for small-scale fly-tipping would rise from £400 to £1,000.

Mr Wilkinson said fly-tipping was "a blight on our beautiful county"

The letter was sent jointly by PCCs representing Avon & Somerset, Gloucestershire, Wiltshire, Dorset, Devon and Cornwall.

Philip Wilkinson, the PCC for Wiltshire and Swindon, said fly-tipping was damaging to the environment and something needed to change.

"We want to make it so it is not in [the fly-tipper's] financial best interest to take on this unpleasant business.

"I just want to make Wiltshire a safer and more pleasant place to live so I'm going to be pushing hard all of the time because good is not good enough," he added.

Dorset Police and Crime Commissioner David Sidwick said fly-tipping was a big problem.

"Fly-tipping is a blight that causes a nuisance to residents, makes areas appear run down and creates potential health hazards and I am committed to working with partner agencies to find new ways to tackle this problem."

Mr Heath said fly-tippers have left household waste and building waste in Mangotsfield

Communities in the South West have also been voicing their concerns.

Clive Heath, the chair of the Mangotsfield Residents' Association, told BBC West there had been many cases of fly-tipping spotted by volunteers on local litter-picking sessions.

"Once somebody sees something that has been fly-tipped, other people add to it," he said.

"That is the problem because they know eventually somebody will take it away.

"Its always going to be a problem but all you can do is encourage people to take the right steps."