– Waste criminals, fly-tippers and cowboy waste operators to have vehicles seized and crushed
– New technology such as drones and mobile CCTV will be used to identify fly-tip vehicles
– Waste cowboys face up to five years in prison under new legislation
Under new plans to crackdown on cowboy waste operators just announced by the Labour Government, Bromley council will gain new powers to work with the police to identify, seize and crush vehicles of waste criminals.
Drones and mobile CCTV cameras are set to be deployed to identify cars and vans belonging to fly-tippers across the country so they can be destroyed. In addition, ministers have launched a rapid review to slash red tape blocking councils from seizing and crushing vehicles. Councils currently have to bear the significant cost of seizing and storing vehicles but under new plans fly-tippers will cover this cost, saving councils and taxpayers money.
Criminals caught transporting and dealing with waste illegally will now face up to five years in prison under new legislation.
Cllr Alisa Igoe, a Bromley Labour Councillors who sits on the Council’s Environment Committee, commented “I’m delighted that under the Labour Government’s £69 million financial award to councils, a 6.8% in cash terms increase on last year’s funding under its Plan for Change, councils will now be provided with more powers to work with the police to seize and crush illegal fly-tip waste vans, and have the culprits pay for it themselves.
Bromley Labour will be demanding that the Conservatives in charge of our borough take this opportunity to rid the borough of cowboy waste operators who blight our streets and country lanes by dumping lorry loads of waste and debris.
I reported two large fly-tips in my ward on one day alone this week, it’s a continual problem. Bromley Council will need to show it will act quickly to embrace this new initiative, to help keep our streets clear and clean, for the benefit of council tax paying residents.”
Meanwhile, due to failing to maintain the centres in good repair, Bromley’s Conservatives were forced to close the Waldo Road recycling and Waste Centre for the next year- with the new booking system reducing the number of people who can visit significantly- we warned the Conservatives this could lead to a big rise in fly-tipping, but they ignored the risk.
From the Downham Estate in Plaistow, to overflowing waste regularly in Cotmandene Car Park and dumped furniture along Penge high streets every Sunday, we want fly-tipping tackled and we welcome news the Council will receive a big increase in funding to tackle its relentless rise across our Borough.
Plaistow Councillor Tony McPartlan said,
“Residents across Bromley have had enough of the criminal dumpers who pollute our neighbourhoods with rubbish – there is now no excuse for Bromleycouncil to let these cowboys get away with trashing our communities.
“Across Britain, fly-tipping shot up by a third under the Conservatives, and we can see the evidence all over Bromley, especially since the recent closure of the Waldo Road waste centre.
St Paul Cray Councillor Rebecca Wiffen agreed, adding:
“I and my fellow Labour Councillors continue to actively report fly tipping in our wards and put forward schemes to ensure responsible residents can dispose of items, like our community bulk waste collection scheme, while criminals are prosecuted for their illegal dumping. We welcome these new powers and will be urging Council officers to make full use of them.”
Waste crime is trashing communities across the country. Fly-tipping has skyrocketed by a fifth whilst the number of prosecutions has fallen by the same amount since 2018/19. The failure to punish these criminals has left our high streets, roads and countryside buried under an avalanche of rubbish.
The Environment Agency will also carry out identity and criminal record checks on operators in the sector so there is nowhere to hide for rogue firms.
It will be handed more resources as they will now be able to fund the cost of policing the industry through permits, boosting their powers and cutting costs for taxpayers. The reforms will also give them more power to revoke permits, issue enforcement notices and hefty fines.
The Government is making available £69 billion to council budgets across England – a 6.8% cash terms increase – and bringing forward the first multi-year funding settlement in a decade, to help fund key responsibilities like tackling fly-tipping.
