Summary

Evidence of increased fly-tipping evident in increased reports and performance report statistics To counteract concerns that were being raised a  series of Flytipping Task Force Meetings were set up to address with involvement from partnering agencies.

Identifying the problem

Flytipping increase not only in Durham County Council but across other local authorities.  A lot of data analysis work was done to identify where the specific hotspot areas were across Durham County Council and the actual type of flytip.

Consequences

Evidence of increased fly-tipping evident in increased reports and performance report statistics.

 

Legislation changes - Existing

• Agreement of current enforcement processes with Legal Services.
• Awareness raising and introduction of household duty of care enforcement process.

Legislation changes - New

• Utilisation of tougher enforcement measures.
• Introduction of Household Duty of Care inspections.
• Stop and search powers.
• Fixed Penalty Notices.
• Formal cautions.
• Presentation to South Durham Magistrates’ Forum to encourage better magistrates support.

Actions

• Operation “Stop It” set up August 2014 with the focus on education first, various campaigns and community engagement and involvement.
• Working with Strategic Waste to target individuals denied entry to Household Waste Recycling Centres.
• Support to Environment Agency tyre disposal analysis.
• Support to police metal theft operations.
• Increased use of CCTV at pre-identified hotspot areas with a direct approach to members and parish councils to support additional camera purchases.  Secondment of Neighbourhood Wardens whose sole task was flytyipping investigations only.
• Increased use of social media
• Made a video titled “Caught Red Handed” BBC Broadcast (October 2015.)
• Press releases for all prosecutions.
• Tidy Business Scheme incentives to change people’s behaviours and Keep Britain Tidy (National Award received.)

What worked

• Social media has played a strong part with more intelligence coming forward and general more awareness of responsibilities.
• With using footage captured via hidden cameras this has led to a lot more perpetrators pleading guilty.
• Since developing this taskforce there is now a much better co-ordinated approach.

What didn't work

• Data cleansing of performance monitoring proved challenging.
• Unfortunately we have had 2 cameras stolen despite location always kept secret by accident or even by perpetrators.   The equipment is also at risk from the natural environment i.e. by animals rummaging in habitat.

Outcomes

Outcome examples include:

• Investigations – 11,975
• Warning letters – 186
• Duty of care inspection – 161
• Stop and search operations – 248
• Fixed penalty notices – 57
• Formal cautions – 16
• Prosecutions – 2
• Policy/Working Arrangements:
  • Have implemented better internal working arrangements and have done data trawls to remove any duplicated reports and ensured actual definition of a flytip is recorded as such and not for e.g. side waste.
  • Better joined up arrangements with Police, Environment Agency, and Magistrates Courts etc.

  Sharing Best Practice Examples:

  • Presentation that was submitted 4^th November to National Flytipping Prevention Group and

  Westminster Briefing Invite to give presentation January 2016.

  • Stop and search operations – 248
  • Fixed penalty notices – 57
  • Formal cautions – 16
  • Prosecutions – 2

  Policy/Working Arrangements:

  • Have implemented better internal working arrangements and have done data trawls to remove any duplicated reports and ensured actual definition of a flytip is recorded as such and not for e.g. side waste.
  • Better joined up arrangements with Police, Environment Agency, and Magistrates Courts etc.

  Sharing Best Practice Examples:

  • Presentation that was submitted 4^th November to National Flytipping Prevention Group and

  Westminster Briefing Invite to give presentation January 2016.

Lessons learnt

• Understand the issue – By definition flytipping is the illegal deposit of any waste onto any land or highway with no licence to accept it.
• Partnership approach is important as well as sharing good practice.
• Education/ Awareness / Profile – strong message put across not to risk a criminal prosecution by disposing of waste responsibly and legally.
• Need to be innovative.