Fly-tipping data shows rise in Winchester and Hampshire

Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs data shows 1,089 fly-tipping incidents were reported to Winchester City Council in 2019-20. This is 319 more than the previous year.

Dumped waste was found on Winchester's roads and pavements 678 times accounting for 62 per cent of incidents, whilst 69 discoveries were made on footpaths and bridleways (6 per cent).

The city council has taken action against 13 offenders in the past nine months, including a case which appeared before Portsmouth Magistrates on February 9 where two offenders faced charges of failing to obtain a waste transfer note following the transfer of waste.

Other recent incidents have been reported at:

Bushfield Camp

Fly-tipping at Bushfield Camp

Hatherley Road, Winchester

Fly-tipping in Hatherley Road, Winchester City Centre. Photo: Paul Newman

New Road in Swanmore

Fly-tipping in New Road, Swanmore

Fly-tipped rubbish has included household waste, white goods and construction waste.

Read next: 

• Action stepped up against fly tippers in Winchester district
• LETTER: Don't blame county council for fly-tipping

Hampshire has also seen a rise in flytipping, with cases rising by 8.99 per cent in 2019-20. There were 24,929 incidents reported in this time frame.

The Local Government Association warned that the offence costs taxpayers almost £50 million a year to clear up.

Environmental Charity Keep Britain Tidy says the crime is being driven by conmen who offer to remove household rubbish for a fee but do not dispose of it correctly.

Across England, the most common amount of rubbish dumped and reported to councils is equivalent to a small van load.

Rubbish loads of this size accounted for 34 per cent of all 976,000 fly-tipping incidents nationally last year.

Across Winchester, small van loads of waste were dumped illegally on 430 occasions – 39 per cent of all reports.

A further 80 incidents saw fly-tippers discard enough rubbish to fill a tipper lorry each, costing the council £13,300 to clear.

There were also 42 incidents which required multiple loads to clear, at a cost of £9,000.

David Renard, environment spokesman for the Local Government Association, said: “Fly-tipping is inexcusable.

"It is not only an eyesore for residents, but a serious public health risk, creating pollution and attracting rats and other vermin.

“We continue to urge the Government to review sentencing guidelines for fly-tipping, so that offenders are given bigger fines for more serious offences to act as a deterrent."

He added that manufacturers should provide more take-back services so customers can hand in old goods when they buy new ones.

Winchester City Council took action over 14 fly-tipping offences in 2019-20.

The authority undertook 10 investigations and issued four fixed penalty notices.

Allison Ogden-Newton OBE, chief executive of Keep Britain Tidy, said: “This environmental crime is being driven by ‘man with a van’ operators who are conning the public with what appears to be a cheap way of getting rid of their rubbish, but one that leads to illegal disposal and environmental devastation.

“Tragically, some businesses that hold a waste carrier licence are breaking the law and fly-tipping the rubbish that households pay them to remove.

“This must stop. We believe the only way to prevent further law-breaking is to fundamentally reform the system.

"We need tests and hurdles to ensure waste carriers are legitimate and accountable.

"Licences should be difficult to get, thoroughly checked and essential to carry out door-to-door waste collection."