Tackling environmental crime across West Northamptonshire

The Charter includes a detailed plan of action, demonstrating the steps that are being taken to tackle the issue, including targeted patrols, the use of CCTV, and working with residents, businesses, and town and parish councils to avoid fly-tipping and gather intelligence to prosecute.

Through the cleaner communities campaign, WNC seeks to highlight the negative impact of environmental crime, and demonstrate the work of officers to tackle this and remove fly-tipping on the land where we have a responsibility to do so. Through investigation and working with the public to share information WNC will hold people to account and prosecute offenders.

It also sets out how the Council will communicate with businesses, landlords and householders to ensure they are clear on their responsibilities towards managing their waste responsibly.

Councillor David Smith, Cabinet Member for Regulatory Services, Community Safety and Engagement on West Northamptonshire Council, said: “Fly-tipping and other environmental crimes are unacceptable and impact every one of us in our communities. They spoil our streets, parks and open spaces, create an environmental hazard, and the clean-up costs and work involved to remove waste place a significant financial burden both on our council and on private landowners.

“The latest figures published by Government relating to our first year as a new unitary council demonstrate the vast scale of illegal waste which is carelessly fly tipped across our area. Through the hard work of our environmental crime team, we have made a head start in tackling fly-tipping in West Northamptonshire and creating a cleaner community for everyone.

Cllr Phil Larratt, Cabinet Member for Environment, Transport, Highways and Waste, added: “Fly-tipping and environmental crime is unsightly and none of us want to see this in our local area. As a council we want to work with communities and our partners to educate people about the detrimental effect of fly-tipping, as well as ensure we are targeting our resources effectively in order to catch and punish offenders. By working together, we can reduce waste on our streets and create cleaner communities.”

People can view the Fly-tipping Charter at www.westnorthants.gov.uk/street-cleansing/fly-tipping-and-duty-care-charter

People can report fly-tipping and environmental crime by visiting: https://www.westnorthants.gov.uk/street-cleansing/report-fly-tipping