Work to tackle fly-tipping in Peterborough will be stepped up following a successful grant application.
Peterborough City Council has been 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 will use the funds as parts of its on-going work to enhance communities, with plans being drawn up to install further cameras at hotspot locations, as well as raising awareness of fly-tipping and waste disposal through educational programmes and website improvements.
Councillor Mohammed Jamil, Peterborough City Council's Cabinet Member for Environment and Transport, said: “I really welcome this additional funding and would like to thank everyone involved in our successful bid – this demonstrates just how committed we are to tackling fly-tipping and better protecting our communities.
“We are already doing a lot of work to tackle fly-tipping and this funding will further boost our cause. However, we also need the public to help us in this area, by continuing to report fly-tipping to us and being aware of their duty to get ride of rubbish properly."
Recycling Minister Robbie Moore said: “We have increased the maximum penalty councils can issue for these offences, made sure money from those fines goes back into more enforcement and clean up, and now we are giving councils a further £1 million boost.
“Our previous funding has achieved significant reductions in fly-tipping across many parts of England – which is why we will build on our successes and ensure councils have more resources to carry on the fight.”
The council will investigate fly-tipping on public highways or public land and arrange for the waste to be cleared. Once reported to us, Aragon Direct Services will aim for the fly-tip to be cleared within 48 hours or 24 hours when it is classed as hazardous.
The authority can issue fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping however the courts can impose more serious action such as imprisonment, substantial fines of up to £50,000, orders to pay costs and orders to deprive rights to a vehicle used to commit the offence.
Residents in Peterborough can arrange to have bulky waste items collected from your home, or there is a free small item collection service available. If you can transport the waste you can visit the Household Recycling Centre in Fengate which is free and there are also other free alternatives to get rid of your waste.
Businesses also have a duty of care to dispose of waste appropriately - visit our Business Waste page for more information.
You can report fly-tipping to us online or by calling 01733 747474.
