Fly-tipping: Kent and Medway see 10% fall in cases

Across Kent and Medway there were 24,795 incidents in 2022/23 compared to 27,433 the previous year

Fly-tipping cases have decreased by 10% across Kent and Medway, however some areas have shown a dramatic increase.

Figures from Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) suggest there were 24,795 incidents in 2022/23 compared to 27,433 the previous year - a fall of 10.6%.

In Thanet though there was a 41.3% rise to 2,535 incidents.

And there were 5,809 incidents of fly-tipping in Maidstone between 2021 and 2023, but no prosecutions.

To combat fly-tipping, the council has introduced a new waste crime team.

Maidstone Borough Council's waste crime manager, Carl McIvor, said: "It costs a significant amount of money to get rid of the rubbish. It makes me angry."

Fewer prosecutions

He added: "The people who do this have no respect for the people or the community."

In Medway alone, 4,664 incidents were reported in the 2022-23 period, an increase of 95 from 2021-22.

In 2022-23, Medway Council issued 52 fixed penalty fines, compared to 158 the previous year. There were also fewer prosecutions made through the courts.

Councillor Simon Curry, portfolio holder for climate change and strategic regeneration at Medway council, said: "We diligently record and investigate all complaints - ranging from a small number of isolated black bags, to large scale fly-tipping.

"Our teams work to clear and investigate fly-tipping as quickly as possible, and we work with Kent Police to address illegal waste carriers."

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