Councils unite in call for tougher flytipping punishments

CRIMINAL punishments for flytipping must be increased for people to take them seriously, according to a top councillor.

Hampshire County Council has joined more than 150 other local authorities and 10 professional bodies in calling for the Sentencing Council to enforce tougher guidelines on offenders, writes David George of the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Also on board is New Forest District Council, as part of Project Integra, the county’s waste disposal partnership.

Cllr Rob Humby, HCC deputy leader, said: "Flytipping is an illegal activity which is predominantly perpetrated by a minority of unscrupulous individuals seeking to make a profit by avoiding commercial waste disposal costs.

"Currently, the punishment for the offence of flytipping is an insufficient deterrent because the sentences handed down do not always match the severity of the offence committed or fairly reflect the cost to the public purse.

"Ultimately, the costs incurred by local authorities in dealing with fly-tipping adversely impact council taxpayers and this is unjust.

"We have appealed to the Sentencing Council to review the current penalties and consider our recommendations for strengthening them."

The local authorities are seeking tougher punishments for flytippers under a proposed review of the Environmental Offences Definitive Guideline (2014).

If these proposed changes went through, court fines would include the cost incurred by the public and for the clean-up, and second convictions would lead to a custodial sentence.