Restaurant owner fined after revamp waste found dumped

When the Ivinghoe Entertainments Committee, which manages the bonfire in the village, examined the materials on November 3, 2012, they immediately rejected them as likely to cause polluting and noxious smoke if burned.

The committee reported the waste to Aylesbury Vale District and Bucks County councils and an investigator traced it to refurbishment work at Haldi Bangladeshi restaurant in Pitstone.

Aylesbury Magistrates’ Court heard that Ullah had originally taken refurbishment waste to Aston Clinton household waste and recycling centre site himself, but as time grew tight nearing the restaurant re-opening he had asked local man Aaron Edwards to take waste to the dump instead.

In court Ullah, 38, of Marsworth Road, Pitstone, and Aaron Edwards, 23, of Glebe Close, Pitstone, both admitted failing in their duty of care after waste was found dumped illegally.

Ullah said he had been trying to help Edwards earn money by using his services and provided information which allowed investigators to trace him.

Edwards denied leaving the waste at the bonfire area and said he had taken it to Aston Clinton as intended.

But he admitted he was not registered as a waste carrier and he could not provide proof, in the form of waste transfer notes, to confirm he had taken it there.

As well as a £200 fine, Ullah was ordered to pay clean-up and prosecution costs of £934.93 with a victim surcharge of £20 – a total to pay of £1,194.93.

Edwards was fined £190, and ordered him to pay clean-up and prosecution costs of £750.57 with a victim surcharge of £20 – a total to pay of £960.57.

The case was brought by Buckinghamshire County Council on behalf of the Waste Partnership for Buckinghamshire, which has secured 365 convictions for illegal dumping and related offences since launching its Illegal Dumping Costs campaign in November 2003.

The council says this has resulted in a halving of reported incidents and significant saving to the Buckinghamshire taxpayer through reducing removal and disposal costs.

Illegal dumping can be reported on 0845 330 1856.