Melton fly-tipping investigations up 50 per cent

Staff have seen this most serious of littering offences increase from 32 in 2019 to 47 in the last 12 months.

The authority has also prosecuted five perpetrators for fly-tipping-related incidents, with total fines and costs to the value of more than £4,500.

The figures come after a number of complaints from residents about rubbish being left near roads and paths across the town and in local villages.

Volunteers have formed a group called the Melton Matters Wombles to clean up the town.

Member Marianne Chadwick told the Melton Times: “We’ve formed this group to deal with the sadly ever present litter in our community.

“We don’t like cleaning up after people but we are obsessed with the environmental damage and impact to our wildlife that litter causes.”

Allison Green has been shocked by some of the rubbish scattered around attractive parts of the countryside.

She cycles, walks and rides horses on footpaths and tracks near her Waltham home and now spends a lot of her time picking up litter and other fly-tipped items.

“Last Sunday, I walked with my husband on a byway between Sproxton and the Garthorpe road which is frequented by the off-road community.

“This byway has become strewn with litter and the damage to the trees and the general environment can only be classed as vandalism.

“I collected two full bin bags of litter, mostly beer cans and plastic bottles.

“There are also tyres, parts of cars, discarded shoes and wellies, and takeaway food containers. Fencing has also been damaged. It is also a fly- tipping hot spot.

“The regular use of the byway by these vehicles is now damaging the surface of the track, but the general damage to the area at the side that runs through the trees is shocking.”

A spokesperson for Melton Borough Council said: “On average, we have had to deal with 26 fly-tip reports per month in 2020. This figure is lower than the previous year where the average was 35 incidents per month.

“These figures indicate that there has been a small decline in incidents of fly-tipping. However, fly-tipping investigations have increased from 32 in 2019 to 47 in 2020.”

In 2020, the council also issued 48 Community Protection Warnings (CPW) for waste-related issues.

Additionally, 17 Community Protection Notices (which are served when the CPW is not complied with) were issued for waste-related issues last year.

The spokesperson added: “There hasn’t been an increase in litter reports submitted to Melton Borough Council over 2020.

“Litter bins located in parks and open spaces have been filling quicker than normal due to the lockdowns as people are using parks and open spaces more, but this has been alleviated by additional collections in key areas.”

Residents are advised to go to: www.melton.gov.uk/info/200084/bins_recycling_and_rubbish/109/report_fly_tipping to report incidents of fly-tipping on a highway or council-owned land via an online form.

And www.melton.gov.uk/info/200089/street_care_and_cleaning/331/litter_bins can be visited to report issues relating to dog waste bins and litter bins.