Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, with the vehicle used for fly tipping
A truck used to fly tip in the city has been seized and destroyed as City of Wolverhampton Council sends out a clear warning in its battle against the crime.
The tough action has been taken in an attempt to deter offenders and prevent the vehicle from being used in future environmental crimes.
In this case, security cameras captured a fly tipping incident on land off Millfields Road, Ettingshall, in May last year.
The driver of a Ford Transit flatbed van dumped a large amount of waste, including furniture, bagged waste and carpet, with the help of another motorist.
Environmental crime officers contacted the DVLA and records showed that at the time of the incident, the truck was registered to Colin Fullard, of Glyn Avenue, Bilston. Following several attempts to seize the vehicle, council officers and police met Fullard at his property, where they were told the van was elsewhere.
The vehicle was found and seized and on inspection, it was discovered that the van had been resprayed and customised with a different roof light and trim. A second DVLA check confirmed that Fullard was still the registered keeper.
Fullard told officers that he had not been driving the van but had lent it to a contact who was operating a gardening business.
At a hearing at Dudley Magistrates Court, Fullard pleaded guilty to one charge of fly tipping under the Environmental Protection Act. He was given a 12 month community order and required to complete 135 hours of unpaid work.
A £1,000 remediation order for clean up costs was imposed, along with court costs of £3,626 and a victim surcharge of £114. District Judge Wheeler also made a deprivation order for the vehicle.
The council took the decision to destroy the truck as a warning to others. If the vehicle had been sold, any proceeds left following seizure and storage costs, would have to be returned to the keeper. This can mean money is given back to offenders.In addition, very often vehicles used in fly tipping incidents are already in a poor state and it would not be safe for the council to donate them.
City of Wolverhampton Council uses a drone and CCTV cameras in its ongoing attempts to tackle fly tipping. In January year this, the council also increased the Fixed Penalty Notice fine for fly tipping from £400 to £1,000.
These initiatives run alongside the city’s successful Shop a Tipper campaign. Under the campaign, anyone suspected of dumping rubbish has their images shared to appeal for information to help identify them.
Statistics from Defra show that over the past 10 years, the council has issued 330 Fixed Penalty Notices for fly tipping, carried out 58 prosecutions and seized 24 vehicles. In addition, Defra’s latest published statistics show that while fly tipping is on the rise nationally, incidents are reducing in Wolverhampton.
Councillor Bhupinder Gakhal, cabinet member for resident services at City of Wolverhampton Council, said: “The council has powers to destroy vehicles that are used for fly tipping and we have used them in this case to send a strong message to anyone thinking of carrying out this criminal activity.
“We are proud of the work we are doing in the city to tackle this thoughtless behaviour – we have increased fines, we carry out regular prosecutions, use our CCTV cameras and our successful Shop a Tipper scheme and these efforts are reflected in the statistics from Defra.
“Fly tipping can cost local taxpayers up to £500,000 a year and we will not tolerate it. We use all the powers at our disposal and will not hesitate to destroy the vehicles of those who use Wolverhampton as a dumping ground. We will not stand by and allow these criminals to spoil our city.”
Under the city’s Shop a Tipper campaign, residents are encouraged to contact the council with information about fly tipping. If the information provided leads to successful identification, and FPNs are issued and paid or a prosecution takes place, residents receive a £100 Enjoy Wolverhampton Gift Card.
Residents can contact 01902 552700 with information or report online at Fly-Tipping.
Residents are also 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.