Agenda item

The Panel will consider the presentation ‘Solutions to Fly-tipping’.

Contact:

Katherine Armitage, Service Director, Environment and Climate Change  

The Panel considered a presentation in respect of Solutions to Fly-tipping, which was presented byKatherine Armitage, Service Director for Environmental Strategy and Climate Change. Councillor Amanda Pinnock, Cabinet Member for Communities and Environment was in attendance and introduced the item.

The Panel were advised that:

• Fly-tipping was the illegal dumping of waste on land without a licence, ranging from small bags to truckloads.
• It was identified as a criminal offence causing environmental damage, public health risks, and significant clearance costs.
• Responsibility for clearance varied, with Councils typically managing public land and the Environment Agency handling large-scale/hazardous waste and organised crime. Private landowners were responsible for their land.
• National trends showed:
  • A 20% increase in fly-tipping over five years.
  • 60% of incidents involved household waste, with highways being the most common location (37%).
  • The most frequent size was a small van load (31%).
  • Annual costs exceeded £100 million.
  • Enforcement actions and fixed penalty notices had decreased, despite higher-than-average court fines.
• Benchmarking indicated:
  • The national average was 20 incidents per 1,000 residents.
  • Kirklees was slightly below this at 18.8 incidents per 1,000 residents.
  • Every ward in Kirklees had at least one hotspot, with Greenhead, Crosland Moor and Netherton, Dewsbury West, and Newsome having the highest concentrations.
  • Fly-tipping incidents in Kirklees had increased, with projections showing further rises.
• Focused action reduced the backlog:
  • From 1,401 cases in September 2025 to 546 cases.
  • Response times improved from 12 weeks to 4 weeks.
  • CCTV and enforcement were acknowledged as useful but limited due to legal compliance, resource intensity, and evidence requirements.
• Evidence-based action emphasised reducing demand, not just clearing waste. Seven critical areas were identified, five of which councils could influence:

1.    Providing householders with information.

2.    Making disposal easy.

3.    Impactful enforcement.

4.    Evidence-based policies.

5.    Supporting a circular economy.

• A Fly-tipping and Litter Strategy was developed with officers, members, and communities, focusing on behaviour change, education, engagement, enforcement, and clearance. Work had begun with Keep Britain Tidy.
• Cross-service collaboration was planned, involving multiple council departments, elected members, and community groups.
•  Proven interventions included Crime Scene Investigation Tape and Social Impact Stencils.
• The short to medium term plan was to implement proven interventions and develop a data-driven strategy.
• In the medium to long term, plans were to fully implement the strategy with annual action plans.

The Panel noted the presentation and, during the subsequent discussion, raised the following questions and points.

·       In response to a comment from the Panel in relation to benchmarking, it was noted that in benchmarking on a local level there may be significant differences by area and that it was important to understand this.

·       In response to a comment from the Panel in relation to the target for fly-tipping reduction it as noted that it was important to be more ambitious and the Panel recommended that this be set at 0%.

·       The Panel noted concerns that the closure of Nab Lane Household Waste Facility and collection costs had made bulky waste disposal harder for residents. It was advised that discounted bulky waste collections were available, but awareness needed improvement and refreshing discounts could encourage proper disposal routes.

·       In response to a question from a member of the Panel in relation to the member engagement workshops, it was agreed that Will Acornley, Head of Operational Services would meet with Councillor Taylor.

·       In response to a question from the Panel in relation to displacement and how this was measured, it was advised that fly-tipping hotspots had been monitored around areas where interventions had been implemented to check for increased fly-tipping and potential displacement.

·       In response to concerns raised by the Panel around the potential effect of social impact stencils on residents, it was advised that a perceptions survey had been planned to understand residents’ views, alongside an impact survey, and that public perception and impact would be balanced in the approach.

·       In response to questions from the Panel in relation to the financial impact of fly-tipping, it was noted that the exact costs were difficult to quantify due to multiple factors, including team costs, disposal costs, environmental and community impact, and multi-agency costs. It was agreed that Will Acornley, Head of Operational Services, would share the response to a recent Freedom of Information request with the Panel.

·       In response to a question from the Panel in relation to why fly-tipping incidents had increased, it was advised that this may have been due to people using unlicensed providers to dispose of waste, the influence of social media culture, and the wider issue of overconsumption.

·       In response to a question from the Panel in relation to sentencing, it was highlighted that there had been a need to raise awareness of the impact of fly-tipping on councils and communities within the Courts.

·       In response to a question from the Panel in relation to enforcement, it was advised that five enforcement officers had been in post and were making a real difference. The Panel had been invited to visit the team to see the work on the ground.

·       In response to a question from the Panel in relation to the data, it was noted that understanding the number of fly-tipping incidents and the volume of rubbish in each would be helpful, and it was agreed that this information would be provided to the Panel.

·       In response to comments from the Panel in relation to supporting vulnerable households, it was noted that the student population should be included at the start of term and throughout, and that it was important to work with landlords regarding their responsibilities.

·       It was noted that Keeping Britain Tidy had presented their Fly-tipping action plan to Parliament recently. This included recommendations in relation to sentencing, and guidelines and it was agreed that this would be shared with the Panel.

·       In response to comments from the Panel in relation to sentencing, it was recommended that concerns be fed back to the LGA to support raising the voice of local government.

·       The Panel welcomed news that the backlog had been cleared and expressed thanks to officers for their hard work in addressing this. It was further recommended that engagement with scrutiny continue throughout the development of the strategy and prior to Cabinet approval.

Under the provision of Council Procedure Rule 36 (1), the Panel received representations from Councillor Jo Lawson.

The Panel noted the update Solutions to fly-tipping, and it was recommended that:

RESOLVED:

(1)  Communications in relation to ‘Bulky Waste’ Collections discounts be refreshed to raise awareness of the offers.

(2)  Will Acornley meet with Councillor Taylor in relation to the member engagement workshops.

(3)  Data showing the number of fly tipping incidents/volume of rubbish in each fly-tip be included and provided to the Panel.

(4)  Engagement with scrutiny continue throughout the development of the strategy and prior to Cabinet approval

(5)  Concerns around sentencing be fed back to the LGA to support raising the voice of local government.

(6)  Keeping Britain’s Tidy Fly-Tipping-Action Plan be shared with the Panel.

(7)  A Panel visit to the Enforcement team be arranged via the Governance Officer.