MORE than £2,700 in fines have been handed out to three Coventry residents following a steep rise in fly-tipping during the pandemic.
It comes as a result of investigations by Coventry City Council environmental crime officers.
On April 20 neighbours Hassan Yasif Abdullah and Marian Boanu who both live in Telfer Road, Coventry and Madalna Craciun, of Grangemouth Road, Coventry were found guilty of flouting the section 108 notice of the 1995 Environment Act for illegally dumping rubbish.
Mr Abdullah and Mrs Boanu were each ordered to pay £560 each while Miss Craciun was fined £1,626.
Craig Hickin, head of environmental services at Coventry City Council, says it send out a timely message that offenders who flout the law will be caught.
He said: “We investigate thousands of incidents of fly-tipping every year and take action where evidence is available.
“Our approach includes both education and enforcement, but it is always important to highlight when prosecutions against individuals have been secured.
“In 20/21 there were 10,727 cases of flytipping, but it is important to state that the vast majority of our residents dispose of rubbish correctly and legally.
“We’ve taken 6346 actions against those responsible during that time, which includes warning notices, fixed penalties or prosecutions.”
Action taken to prevent fly-tipping in the city and planned new approaches include:
- targeting more resources to the areas worst affected by fly-tipping
- increasing foot patrols in areas worst affected
- co-ordinated educational campaigns in harder to reach areas
- use of CCTV in the worst affected streets
- encouraging the public to notify the council as and when these incidents occur
- encouraging the public to come forward with any intel as to who may be responsible
- continuing to investigate ALL reported incidents across the city and take appropriate formal action as and when required
Mr Hickin added: “We have a number of approaches to fly-tipping and we are increasing the amount of CCTV surveillance that we use across the city.
“Fly tipping occurs in more low-income areas where there is a higher population concentration and more short-term lettings.
“It is an eyesore for the people who live in these areas, that’s why we also encourage local people to report fly-tipping and any evidence they can pass on.”
Anyone can report these incidents anonymously by going to https://www.coventry.gov.uk/flytipping or call 08085 834333.
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