Sefton Council Backs Government Fly-Tipping Measures

Sefton Council welcomes the Government’s proposals to give motorists penalty points on their driving licences if caught fly-tipping. The proposal, which could mean culprits being banned from the road, is part of the forthcoming Waste Crime Action Plan. In Sefton, clearing illegally dumped waste cost the Council £350,000 of taxpayers’ cash last year – as well as causing environmental damage.  

Any further tools that help deter this behaviour and strengthen enforcement are therefore a positive step forward. 

Cllr Peter Harvey, Cabinet Member for Street Scene and Cleansing, said:
“We welcome the Government’s tougher measures against fly-tipping. This is exactly the sort of practical, powerful approach that many of our residents are telling me they want. Linking offences to driving licences has the potential to be a strong deterrent, particularly for repeat offenders who rely on vehicles to dump waste illegally. 

“In Sefton, we have significantly stepped up our enforcement action, raising penalties to up to £1,000, doubling the size of our enforcement team, and deploying CCTV to catch offenders in the act. In the last month alone, we have issued seven fixed penalty notices and secured a successful prosecution for a man who committed a fly-tipping offence, here in Sefton. 

“We also know that rogue waste operators in white vans, often tempt residents with cheap deals on social media, only to dump household waste across Sefton. These proposed measures will help clamp down on this behaviour. 

“Fly-tipping is a national scourge affecting councils across the country, but Sefton is committed to leading the way in tackling the problem. The council’s robust work has featured on regional and national TV. 

“Alongside tougher enforcement, the Council continues to focus on educating residents, promoting legal waste disposal options, and supporting community efforts to keep neighbourhoods clean.” 

Sefton Council looks forward to further details of the Waste Crime Action Plan to help reduce fly-tipping across the borough as part of its Cleaner, Greener, Together campaign.