Residents are being reminded to dispose of waste properly after two fly-tippers were given heavy fines by magistrates.
The council’s waste team actively works to tackle fly-tipping in Peterborough and will look to prosecute those who dump rubbish or use unlicensed waste disposers to get rid of waste which then gets fly-tipped and is traced back to them.
The authority is also increasing its work to raise awareness of the issue and will shortly be launching a new website page asking the public to help us identify offenders who we believe have flytipped waste.
Meanwhile, two offenders were recently fined at Peterborough Magistrates' Court after pleading guilty to fly-tipping offences following prosecutions by the council.
Jaroslav Kocko admitted paying a company to take household waste, without checking whether they were licensed. The waste was later found in Oxney Road and traced back to him by officers. Kocko was ordered to pay a fine of £400, costs of £200 and victim surcharge of £106.
Ivan Curtis also appeared before magistrates recently and admitted dumping garden waste in Newborough which was caught on one of the council's covert CCTV cameras. He was ordered to pay costs of £499.45, a fine of £400 and a surcharge of £160.
Councillor Angus Ellis, Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “We are fully committed to tackling fly-tipping which is a blight on our communities and something we take extremely seriously. Whenever we obtain evidence of fly-tipping we will investigate and look to issue either a fine or secure a conviction in the courts.
“These recent prosecutions show that anyone considering dumping waste illegally can end up out of pocket, so we would urge residents not to run the risk. There are several ways to get rid of waste legally, such as by visiting the Household Recycling Centre in Fengate, using a licensed waste company or our bulky waste collection service.”
The council has stepped up its efforts to tackle fly-tipping in recent years. In May 2024 the authority was awarded just under £50,000 by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) as part of a nationwide scheme to target fly-tipping hotspots. The council used the funds to provide further cameras at hotspot locations to assist with collecting evidence to allow for enforcement actions.
Fixed Penalty Notices for fly-tipping offences have also been increased to the maximum amount. As part of work to raise awareness, officers regularly visit local schools to teach children about the importance of proper waste disposal.
You can find out more advice and information about correct waste disposal and how the council tackles fly-tipping on our website.
Fly-tipping can be reported either online or by calling 01733 747474. Anyone who witnesses fly-tipping taking place should contact Police on 101.