Spate of fly-tipping across Lichfield
Residents have been urged to come forward with information after a recent spate of fly-tipping.
On Friday Lichfield District Council’s street cleansing team was called out to remove a pile of household waste that was blocking Cappers Lane.
The rubbish included bin bags, bins and tubs, a child’s ride along toy, old cushions and throws, shelves and much more.
On Monday, the team was called out to Wall Lane to remove a truck-full of waste that had been dumped over the weekend. Rubbish included an old fridge, a child’s ride along toy, a child’s seat, a ‘Hetty’ vacuum cleaner, a knee-high Christmas figure, plus an old mattress, carpet, drawers, washing line, window blinds and more.
Last weekend also saw fly-tipping at Streetway Road in Shenstone, Fosseway in Lichfield, Wood Lane in Little Aston and Thornyhurst Lane in Shenstone. The council has since cleared up and removed the waste from all the locations.
Councillor Richard Cox, cabinet member for leisure, parks and waste, said: “It’s really disappointing to see so much fly-tipping being reported over the last few days.
“Fly-tipping is a criminal offence, and it is both ugly and expensive to clear up. This is an unnecessary cost and the money could be better used to improve public facilities and services.
“We’re gathering evidence from all the locations, and if we identify the culprits we will seek to prosecute. If you have any information, please report it to us as soon as possible to help us with our investigations.
“Everyone can help us to keep the district free of fly-tipping by making sure they only use properly licensed companies to do work on their behalf.
“So, when employing a gardener, tree surgeon, builder or house clearance company, it’s important to check they are licensed to legally remove your waste. If they cannot produce this paperwork, don’t use them as they could go on to dump your waste.”
Useful information the council needs for its investigations includes the date, time, location, type of waste being dumped, vehicle details, a description of the people involved, as well as any photographic or video evidence of the offence taking place.
The council is also interested to know if any companies are going door-to-door offering to take waste away for a payment.
To report fly-tipping or if you have information about a recent fly-tipping offence, call Lichfield District Council on 01543 308999 or visit lichfielddc.gov.uk/report.
