Blaenau Gwent Council has successfully prosecuted two people for fly-tipping and issued three more with Fixed Penalty Notices.
Michael Thorne was taken to court after he was witnessed dumping bags of rubbish outside the Civic Centre in Ebbw Vale in July. He was witnessed by a staff member and was interviewed following a DVLA check on his vehicle. Thorne, of Pen-y-Crug, Rassau, admitted the offence in interview and said he had deposited the waste as it had not been picked up from his home. He was fined £200 by magistrates and ordered to pay a contribution towards costs of £130 plus a victim surcharge of £30.
The second prosecution was Michelle Higgins who was prosecuted for fly-tipping outside an industrial unit at Rassau Industrial Estate in Ebbw Vale. Environmental enforcement officers found correspondence in the waste which they traced back to Higgins, who later admitted she had dumped the waste there after being told she could not use the household recycling centre at New Vale as she had not arranged a van permit in advance. Higgins, of Llwyn Dic Penderyn, Merthyr Tydfil, was fined £120 by magistrates with a contribution towards costs of £130 and a victim surcharge of £30.
The Council has also issued Fixed Penalty Notices for three offences of fly-tipping at the water plant in Aberbeeg; the side of Blaina Cemetery and at Cwm Draw Industrial Estate. On all of these occasions the householder had paid to have waste removed from their properties, but had not made the necessary checks to make sure those they had paid were authorised to carry and dispose of it. The householder is then liable if this is illegally dumped.
The Council has also issued £100 Fixed Penalty Notices to another three householders for offences relating to its Side Waste Enforcement Policy. On each occasion the householder continually exceeded the amount of refuse allowed per household for collection and as such demonstrates an unwillingness to recycle. Payment has been received in full and the hope is that these residents will change the way they deal with their waste, encourage them to recycle and work with The Council in meeting the Recycling Targets set by Welsh Government.
Councillor Garth Collier, the Council’s Executive Member for the Environment says:
“Fly-tipping is an eyesore our wonderful landscape and it costs us money to clean-up. There is no excuse for illegally dumping waste and these prosecutions are a warning that we will investigate and where we can secure the evidence we will always pursue a prosecution in court or a Fixed Penalty Notice. This should also remind people that paying someone to remove your waste isn’t straightforward, – please make the necessary checks to ensure these people, many of whom advertise themselves on social media, are operating legally because if the waste is dumped then unfortunately you could be paying the price yourself!”