Cambridgeshire’s Police and Crime Commissioner to prioritise fly-tipping

Darryl Preston met with representatives of the Cambridgeshire and Peterborough Waste Partnership (RECAP) and National Farmers Union (NFU) to discuss the issue.

It can cost anywhere from £10,000 to £500,000 to clear a single site, where some sites may be targeted by crimnials more than once.

Darryl said: “I want to be clear, fly tipping is a crime and totally unacceptable in our communities, We know that it has a significant environmental and health impact, but it is also a financial burden on law-abiding citizens and our public services.”

In 2020 there were more than 11,000 reported incidents of illegally dumped rubbish in Cambridgeshire and Peterborough. On average that is 31 incidents every day.

Darryl added: “Residents and partners, such as Bryony and Hannah, have told me that fly tipping is a problem and I am listening, I am exploring ways that agencies can all work together to tackle these issues on the ground.”

Partnership Manager at RECAP, Bryony Rothwell said, “The RECAP Partnership look forward to continuing to work with Darryl Preston and other agencies to tackle fly tipping and prevent illegal waste disposal across Peterborough and Cambridgeshire.”

Cambridgeshire County Advisor at NFU, Hannah Padfield added, “It is a serious concern for our members. The rurality of farmers’ land makes it a prime target for fly tipping and dumps can cause a contamination risk.

“We are heartened that the Commissioner is listening to our concerns and looking at ways that partners can come together to fight fly tipping.”

Fly tipping sites can be reported through your district council website. If an individual witnesses fly tipping actively occurring, it is a crime in action and they should dial 999.