Woman fined after contractor she hired to take away rubbish dumps it in Northampton neighbourhood
A woman was prosecuted after she failed to check if a contractor she hired was licensed to dispose of rubbish - they later dumped it in a Northampton neighbourhood.
Northampton Borough Council says residents who don't confirm who is disposing of their waste will still be held responsible for their rubbish if it is flytipped.
The warning comes after a recent prosecution where a Northampton woman hired a contractor to take away her rubbish without vetting the business.
The sacks of waste were found by Northampton Borough Council's neighbourhood wardens in Foskitt Court, Bellinge, in July last year - but inside the bags was evidence that it came from a nearby street.
When challenged, the householder – Christina Dovkants of Hanemill Court, Bellinge – said she had hired someone to take away the waste but had not confirmed their details.
Councillor Mike Hallam, Northampton Borough Council Cabinet member for environment, said: “This is a common mistake which leaves people open to prosecution.
“As Keep Britain Tidy’s #CrimeNotToCare campaign highlights, your waste is your responsibility, so unless it is disposed of responsibly it could come back to haunt you.”
Traders are required by law to hold a waste carrier’s licence, and anyone employing a contractor should ask to see this as well as obtaining their vehicle details.
As a consequence of not doing so, Ms Dovkants was fined nearly £500 plus costs at Northampton Magistrates Court in December for "failure to secure domestic waste".
Anyone who wants to employ a contractor to dispose of waste should ask for a transfer note or receipt from the contractor, checking where the waste is going, and making a note of any other details they feel might be useful.