Say ‘cheese’! New cameras installed to prevent fly-tipping
Cotswold District Council have installed cameras around the district in potential fly-tipping hotspots to capture any illegal activity such as a vehicle dumping waste.
Juliet Layton, Cabinet Member for Development Management and Licensing, said: “Here at Cotswold District Council, we are serious about clamping down on fly-tipping. Not only does it cause significant blight on the local environment but it is often a source of pollution, which can endanger public health and wildlife. It also costs the Council money to remove fly-tips, if we can minimise the number of fly-tips in the Cotswolds we will be able to save a huge amount of taxpayers money!
“The installation of these cameras will enhance our ability to catch anyone fly-tipping as normally our officers rely on evidence from the fly-tip, or a witness who is able to identify the fly tippers and/or the vehicles they use. Now with the cameras we have the vehicle information and potentially images of the fly tipper themselves readily available for investigation.
“We hope that the installation of these cameras will make any fly-tippers think twice about dumping their rubbish in our beautiful district.”
The cameras have been placed around the district and will be moved regularly. They will be able to capture images of any illegal activity taking place.
Kevin Lea, Enviro-Crime Programmes Officer at Cotswold District Council, explains “If the cameras capture someone fly-tipping our officers will contact the vehicle owners to advise them that the Council believe there is sufficient evidence that they have committed a criminal offence.
“If they wish to appeal the photographic evidence they will be asked to come in for a Police and Criminal Evidence Act (PACE) interview. The purpose of the interview is to allow them to discuss the evidence and provide an explanation. Fly-tip offenders risk a fixed penalty notice charge of £400 or prosecution for more serious offences.”
“We often see householders paying someone for a waste removal service offering cheap prices, who are not licensed and very often cut corners to dispose of the waste dangerously and illegally. It is the householders responsibility to ensure the waste removal service is legitimate or they could find themselves facing a fixed penalty notice.”
It is so important we are proactive in putting a stop to fly-tipping in our beautiful district. Last year we cleared 1016 fly-tips. We hope that with the introduction of the cameras we will see that number drop this year.
If you witness an incident of fly-tipping, please report it as soon as you can, that gives our officers the best chance of catching the perpetrators.
To report illegal fly-tips, please visit: ttps://cotswold.gov.uk/environment/report-fly-tipping/
If you have any questions on fly-tipping or responsible waste disposal, please email: ers@cotswold.gov.uk