Council calls for stronger fines for fly-tipping

Fly tipping is now the "biggest issue" raised by residents, according to councillors in a Worcestershire district who have called for tougher penalties.

Councillor Jodi Arnold, of Wychavon District Council, proposed a motion during a council meeting on Wednesday, which will see the authority write to the government to request harsher sentences.

Emma Sims, who seconded the motion, said: "It is not fair that residents are having to foot the bill for others' poor behaviour, and we need to ensure that the fine matches the cost to our residents and our environment."

Several other councillors expressed frustration with the current low level of fixed penalty notices for fly-tipping.

They noted the average court fine in 2024/25 was just £539.

And as part of the motion, the council will also call for courts to make greater use of the community payback scheme, which would see offenders take part in clean-up efforts or make direct contributions toward remediation.

It comes after the government announced last week that maximum fines for fly-tipping would increase from £1,000 to £5,000.

The top fine for littering on streets is also to be increased to £750, it said – up 50%.

Ministers said the increased fines would act as a stronger deterrent and help reduce cases of littering and fly-tipping.

The then environment secretary, Emma Reynolds, said: "Fly-tipping and littering is a disgrace that blights local communities.

"Under this government, criminals who break the rules will face heftier fines to clean up the mess they make.

"We are sending a clear message to those who dump their rubbish – we are coming after you and you will pay the price."

BBC Hereford and Worcester's political reporter Tom Edwards said concerns over fly-tipping had been growing across Worcestershire in recent months - particularly in Wychavon, following a series of high-profile incidents.

He said: "Last year, the Environment Agency and West Mercia police launched an investigation over mountains of dumped waste that appeared near homes in Evesham, with furious residents who live off Haselor Lane describing it as a "horror".

"A further police probe has been taking place around illegal waste-dumping activity at Stone Arrow Farm in Peopleton, to name another.

"There have been many other incidents - notably on land off Broadway Road, close to Evesham town centre, where around 40 car tyres were found dumped.

"There is a concern that the make-up of Wychavon - a series of fairly small towns connected by swathes of green land, close to the motorway and centrally-located, makes it vulnerable.

"The worry across the district has been palpable - some residents have said they're concerned about the impact it could have on house prices, such is the scale of some of the rubbish pile-ups."

This news was contributed to by the Local Democracy Reporting Service which covers councils and other public service organisations.

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