Vehicles connected with fly-tipping could be impounded and crushed by the Council

Fly tipping in Ashworth Valley

Rochdale Borough Council is proposing to take stronger enforcement against fly-tippers.

Fly-tippers could receive a £400 fixed penalty and any vehicles connected with fly-tipping impounded and crushed by the Council.

After presenting his quarterly report at this week's council meeting, Cabinet Member for Housing and Environment, Councillor Neil Emmott said: “Not only are we going to give people fixed penalties, which means we won’t necessarily have to go through the courts, and we can give a £400 fixed penalty, but also the law has given us these powers that any vehicle which is found to be involved in illegal tipping we can impound and crush.”

His comments came in response to Councillor Peter Winkler’s concerns that not enough action was being taken against fly-tippers in the borough.

Councillor Winkler said: “Whilst it’s good to see we are getting convictions and penalty notices, we have had one or two incidents where people have been dissatisfied with the action that’s been brought against some of the fly-tippers and some of the people who are causing these problems.

“I understand the service is being overhauled, what can we do to give the service a bit more power and a few sharper teeth to deal with some of these fly-tippers and nasty people who are profiting from dumping their waste and really aren’t getting the penalties and enforcement to deter them?”

Councillor Emmett responded: “I share your concerns because there are times where I think we can be a lot stronger on enforcement, and we’re not. I know the cases that you’re referring to; I know they’re in your ward. I do have a lot of sympathy: I do think we need to do more.”

Councillor Rina Paolucci-Escobar said: “Fly-tipping is becoming more and more common, they’re becoming more cheeky about where they’re doing it. I wish we could do some kind of campaign, but also offer rewards for whistleblowers. There must be people who know who’s doing this and they’re not coming forward.”

Councillor Emmett responded: “It isn’t easy to police, we know that. Many of you have RBH properties within your wards will occasionally get correspondence from RBH asking you to do an ‘estate walkabout’.

“What we’re going to do from an environmental management point of view is, every so often, we’re going to ask members to do a ‘walkabout’ in the areas of their ward where they feel that there is a problem, and we’re going to hit different parts of each members’ wards throughout the year. I look forward to members taking part in that so we can involve more people.

Councillor Michael Holly commented: “The Spring Clean and Big Clean 2017, I got involved in this with Councillor Winkler up in Norden. I could not believe how much litter was up there, and it was awful. That was an eye-opener to me and I suspect other parts of the borough are far worse.

“We need to have some sort of retribution; I know it’s not easy and I know this is a resource issue. I welcome your observations about trying to reinforce and refresh enforcement.

“We need to get the messages out that this is not acceptable. The guys and girls on the environmental management services do a cracking job, and it is heart-breaking when you see all that and even worse, the fly-tipping we’ve had down in Ashworth Valley.”

Councillor Emmott responded he couldn’t agree more with Councillor Holly’ adding: “We do need to start coming down now very heavily on these anti-social people who spoil our environment by their actions.”