Fly-tipping court success

Stratford-on-Avon District Council has successfully prosecuted a company based in Oldbury in the West Midlands for fly-tipping this week.  

At Leamington Magistrates Court, Michelle Hollingworth, Director of Oakham Sweepers Limited, of Tividale, Oldbury pleaded guilty to all three charges relating to the illegal depositing of controlled waste from a road sweeper onto land at Bidford-on-Avon Sewage Treatment Works.  

The Court heard that the Council were contacted by Severn Trent following a series of illegal fly-tipping incidents. A CCTV camera installed by Severn Trent captured images of the same vehicle on a number of occasions and on one occasion was seen to be decanting liquid waste down a track leading to the Sewage Treatment Works in a secluded part of Bidford-on-Avon.    

Photographs and video footage clearly showed an employee of the company backing up the vehicle and depositing the waste which then dried into a hard material, causing a hazard and clean-up costs to be incurred.  The liquid waste was contaminated with heavy metals and road side pollutants such as diesel, oil, tarmac and rubber and may have run into a watercourse at the bottom of the track.  

The company was originally fined £9,000 but this was reduced due to the early guilty plea and a fine of £6,000 was imposed. The Council was also awarded costs of £2,115.71.  

Cllr Mike Brain, Community and Technical Services Portfolio says: "This prosecution should send out a clear warning that this Council takes fly-tipping very seriously and we will take action whenever possible. Fly-tipping is totally unacceptable and we will not tolerate this sort of behaviour.  

"In this case, by working together with Severn Trent who deployed cameras in the area, we were able to identify the offender who can be seen in the act of fly-tipping. We at the District Council would always appeal for help from residents in putting together fly-tipping cases and we treat information and tip-offs in confidence. Fly-tipping is an environmental crime that affects the whole community - but by working together we can crack down on the offenders."  

If you witness a case of fly-tipping please report this to Stratford-on-Avon District Council. Reports can be made by calling the District Council on 01789 260616 or anytime online at www.stratford.gov.uk   Ends