News Centre

09 Dec 2009 (archived)

Cameras help catch fly tippers

Covert cameras placed in a fly tipping 'hot spot' in West Oxfordshire have helped the District Council identify and prosecute two offenders.

On Friday 4^th December John Whitehill, age 49 of Eastfield Road, Witney pleaded guilty at Banbury Magistrates Court of dumping several large black bags of leylandii cuttings which he said were from his garden. He was fined £240 plus costs of £501.48 and £15 victim surcharge

On the same day Erich Kowalski, age 54 of Hurst Lane Freeland also pleaded guilty at Banbury Magistrates Court. He had dumped soil from a gardening job he had done in Witney. He was fined £240 plus costs of £501.48 and £15 victim surcharge

The above separate incidents took place in Stanton Harcourt Road, a single track road on the outskirts of Witney. Since January 2009 there have been 25 reported fly tips on this road, which is why it was identified as a hot spot.

They are the Council's first prosecutions using new covert cameras. The equipment was installed for a 3 week period and, during this time four offenders were caught in four separate incidents.

The two other fly tipping offenders were not prosecuted but issued with fixed penalty notices because their fly tips were significantly smaller and were treated as littering offences.

Cllr David Harvey, Cabinet Member for the Environment said, "Fly-tipping will not be tolerated in West Oxfordshire, which is why we have a specialist council enforcement team and why we have invested in the latest technology to deal with environmental criminals. Our council team works closely with the police and Environment Agency to share information and intelligence and this is all helping to bring offenders to justice. So far we have prosecuted eight people and cautioned many more. We are seeing the results of our crackdown on fly tipping as rates have dropped by 16% in the past 2 years.

"We will continue to take the strongest action we can against anyone who flouts the law and deliberately despoils our beautiful countryside in this way."

Last year alone, West Oxfordshire District Council cleared up 611 flytips of waste at a cost of £27, 000 and £23,000 investigations cost which is ultimately borne by residents through their council tax bills.

West Oxfordshire District Council's enforcement team investigates every fly-tipping incident. They also work on other aspects of environmental crime, including dealing with abandoned cars. During the past year, 100% of vehicles were removed within 24 hours of being declared abandoned in West Oxfordshire.

Anyone caught fly-tipping faces prosecution and could receive a fine up to £50,000 or maximum imprisonment of 5 years.

Fly-tipping can be reported by filling in an online form at www.westoxon.gov.uk/reportit or by telephoning 01993 861060.

Fly-tipping statistics for West Oxfordshire from 2006/7 to current: