Issue - meetings

Report ES16017

Following Council approval on 22ndFebruary for £750k to be set aside as one-off funding for Member Initiatives, Report ES16017 sought approval to use £250k of the sum for action against fly-tipping and enviro-crime, the report also outlining proposed work in this regard.

Fly-tipping incidents in the borough had increased in recent years and an Officer Working Group, established last November, created an action plan to co-ordinate the Council’s response to the problem. Going forward, the plan would use the £250k sum to build on existing projects and initiatives overseen by the Working Group.

The following approach was outlined:

·  installation of street furniture such as height barriers and width restrictors at known hotspots;

·  enforcement activities such as joint Police operations and greater use of CCTV and other technologies; and

·  a communications campaign.

Although having no enforcement/prosecutions target, it was intended to prosecute where evidence existed of fly-tipping/enviro-crime and to emphasise the responsibility of individuals for their waste. Officers sought to raise the public’s awareness of enforcement in the borough and a joint enforcement operation with the Metropolitan Police had been undertaken on 9^th March. Over a three hour period 26 vehicles were stopped; if waste was carried, checks were made for necessary documents such as a waste carrier notice. It was intended to conduct similar operations in the next few months.  As well as liaising with conventional local media (in reporting enforcement outcomes), social media could also aid deterrence.

It was confirmed that a waste carriers notice would be necessary to carry garden waste to private land as part of a business. It was also suggested that resident associations might be able to help in regard to width restrictions at fly-tipping/enviro-crime hotspots. It was confirmed that officers were looking at roads where the installation of width restrictors might be an option.

RESOLVED that the Portfolio Holder be recommended to:

(1) approve the general aims set out in Report ES16017 to take further action in combatting enviro-crime; and

(2)  delegate authority to the Executive Director for Environmental and Community Services to draw down the earmarked reserve as required to take the action outlined in Report ES16017 in discussion with the Portfolio Holder.