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30
Nov 2021
11 fly-tipping fines issued in Harrogate district despite almost 3,000 reports
A Harrogate Borough Council spokesperson blames the low number of fines on needing "substantial" evidence before it can take action. The council has the power to fine fly-tippers £400, which is reduced to £240 if paid within 10 days.
Harrogate Borough Council has issued just 11 fines for fly-tipping in the last five years, despite receiving 2,845 reports from the public.
The figures were obtained through a freedom of information request and posted on the website What Do They Know.
The council has the power to fine fly-tippers £400, which is reduced to £240 if paid within 10 days.
A council spokesperson blamed the low number of fines on needing "substantial" evidence before it can take action.
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The figures also reveal that fly-tipping has cost the council £190,985 in clean-up costs since 2017.
The most commonly dumped items were household waste, construction waste and white goods.
The council spokesperson said:
“Fly-tipping is a selfish crime that blights the landscape and spoils everyone’s enjoyment of our towns and countryside.
“In order to prosecute we need to carry out thorough investigations and provide substantial evidence. This can be a challenge as not all fly-tipping contain personal or business details we can investigate.
“But we will not give up tackling fly-tippers and bringing them to justice.“
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