Spike in West Berkshire fly-tipping incidents since lockdown

West Berkshire Council has promised to crack down following 'unacceptable' rise

West Berkshire Council has promised to crack down on fly-tipping following an “unacceptable” spike during the coronavirus lockdown.

Between April and June, 292 fly-tipping incidents were reported in West Berkshire Council. That is up from 216 (35 per cent increase) in the same period last year.

Councillor Steve Ardagh-Walter, the council’s executive member for environment, said that when recycling centres were closed because of the Covid-19 pandemic, some people decided to illegally dump household waste.

At a meeting of the council’s executive on Thursday he also said “we are increasing enforcement activity” to crackdown on fly-tipping.

He said: “Fly-tipping did rise by an unwelcome and unacceptable rate due to the lockdown and due to the closure waste recycling centres.

“But in the great majority of incidents, it’s not green waste fly tipping, it’s other stuff.

“It’s general rubbish that would have gone to the recycling centres.

“We deplore and do not accept any type of fly-tipping, but I do refute the suggestion that having a charge (for garden waste) leads to an increase.

“If that had been the case, fly-tipping for green waste would have risen when we introduced the charge (three years ago).”

He added: “I don’t want to be complacent here, but we’re relatively fortunate as the number of fly-tipping incidents is comparatively low, compared with many neighbouring areas.”