City of Wolverhampton Council is issuing the warning as part of its dedicated Shop a Tipper crackdown which has seen two court cases brought against residents who failed to assist with fly tipping investigations.
Under the crackdown, CCTV has been placed at hot spots across the city. Repeated incidents of fly tipping were caught on camera at locations in Whitmore Reans and Blakenhall earlier this year.
CCTV captured footage of 2 residents believed to have been connected to the incidents and they were issued with hand delivered notices under the Environment Act 1995. The notices required them to attend interviews at the Civic Centre or to make contact for alternative appointments.
Neither resident attended or replied, which prevented the council pursuing its investigations. As a result, the council then prosecuted them for failing to cooperate and comply with the notices.
Faith Lawrence Nnebedum and Samuel Viorel Silaghi were prosecuted in separate hearings at Dudley Magistrates Court. They each faced a charge of breaching Section 110 of the Environment Act 1995.
Nnebedum, of Leicester Street, pleaded guilty and was given a conditional discharge for 12 months. She was also ordered to pay a victim surcharge of £26 and £600 towards the council’s costs.
Silaghi did not appear in court and the case was proved in his absence. He was fined £660 and ordered to pay a £264 victim surcharge. The council was awarded full costs of £1,755.08.
The costs awarded to the council will be reinvested back into the environmental crime service, helping to bring people to justice who fail to dispose of their waste correctly.
In the case of Nnebedum, security camera images of a woman carrying items into a walkway in Leicester Street, Whitmore Reans, had been shared by the council on local lampposts. A member of the public came forward with information including an address, council tax records were checked by officers and Nnebedum was served a notice.
In the case of Silaghi, of Napier Road, CCTV footage captured a significant amount of waste being deposited in Byrne Road, Blakenhall. On 16 different occasions items including bagged waste and a fridge were seen to be dumped from the Napier Road address. After checking council tax records for the property, notice was served on Silaghi.
The council launched its Shop a Tipper crackdown last year and it has seen a 53% decrease in the number of fly tips in the targeted streets. Anyone suspected of dumping rubbish will see their images shared on lampposts to appeal for information to help identify them.
If the information provided leads to successful identification, and Fixed Penalty Notices are issued and paid or a prosecution takes place, residents receive a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton Gift Card. Residents can contact 01902 552700 with information.
Councillor Craig Collingswood, cabinet member for environment and climate change at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “Fly tipping has always been a priority for the council and one that we continually work hard to tackle.
“We know it’s a national issue, but we also know how it makes local people feel when others thoughtlessly dump rubbish in areas where they live and work.
“I’m pleased that our investigations have resulted in us bringing these cases to court and that there has been such a positive outcome. Our Shop a Tipper crackdown is sending a strong message to suspected fly tippers that they cannot get away with ignoring contact from the council.”
Residents are reminded that waste can be disposed of free of charge at our Household Waste and Recycling Centres (tips) which are open 7 days a week from 8am to 4pm. Centres are at Anchor Lane, Lanesfield, Bilston and Shaw Road, Wolverhampton.
A bulky item collection service to dispose of big unwanted items is also available, find out more at Bulky item collection.
