Flytipping soars across Dacorum

New government statistics show that flytipping in Dacorum has risen by nearly 50 per cent over the last four years, from 832 reported incidents in 2012-13, to 1,213 in 2015-16.

But Dacorum Borough Council did not issue a single warning letter, statutory notice, fixed penalty notice or formal caution last year, limiting themelves to just two court actions.

Hertfordshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner David Lloyd said: “Flytipping is a serious problem and I am determined that we stop this blight.

“There are a number of investigations going on and I put it to those that commit these offences that time is runningout for them.

“I have provided a grant of more than £80,000 to help local authorities tackle fly-tipping across the county. This grant will be used to cover a wide spectrum of initiatives, including the purchase of new cameras for deployment at fly tipping hotspots across the county.

“I am also investigating using funds generated from the Proceeds of Crime Act (POCA) (the money confiscated from criminals) as way of compensating landowners who have been left with a hefty clearing-up bill.”

The cost of clearing up after flytippers set back taxpayers nearly £80,000 last year.

That includes spending over £53,000 on small van load clearances, and £13,300 on clearances with tipper lorries.

While some areas such as Sunderland, Lewes, Lancaster and South Lakeland saw the amount of flytipping incidents falls by almost three-quarters over the four years since 2012, Dacorum was not the worst area.

In Hackney, London, there was tenfold increase in flytipping, from 599 incidents to 6,917 in just four years.