New fines crack down on Leeds fly-tippers

The council has been using new powers to tackle fly-tippers in Leeds.

Since May 2016, councils have had the power to impose fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for small-scale fly-tipping offences under new legislation introduced by the government.

Latest figures show Leeds City Council has so far handed out 20 FPNs, bringing in a total of £6,000 in fines. As previously reported by the Yorkshire Evening Post, Leeds was last month named the eighth worst area of the country for fly-tipping - triggering our call to Keep Leeds Tidy.

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The number of fly-tipping incidents reported to Leeds City Council last year surged to over 16,000 - a four year high.

The new FPNs are in addition to prosecutions through the courts, which are on the rise in Leeds - with 22 carried out last year, up from 14 the year before.

But Dorothy Fairburn, director north of the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said FPNs are failing to tackle the issue. She said: “We recognise there is a cost to councils for investigating and prosecuting these criminals, but judging by the scale of the problem, fixed penalty notices are not making an iota of difference to fly-tipping incidents.”

A spokesman for Leeds City Council said they began issuing FPNs after November 2016, when they were approved by the council’s executive board. He said: “Fly-tipping is a real blight in our communities and residents can be assured we will use every tool at our disposal to take action against those people who are illegally dumping their rubbish. Like all types of prosecutions, investigations must be properly undertaken and evidence collated, which does mean sometimes there may be a longer wait in issuing some FPNs than others. Since November 2016, we have issued 20 FPNs and all of our environmental officers are committed to pursuing this action if required.”