Bogus Waste Carrier Slipped Up and Is Fined Over £3000
• A man from Slip End has been fined over £3,000 after being caught collecting waste without a licence.
Officers saw Mr James driving a Ford Transit drop-side lorry, carrying scrap metal and stopped him on the A505 near Houghton Regis. He could not provide a waste carrier licence, scrap metal collectors certificate or a waste transfer note.
Mr James failed to attend Luton Magistrates’ Court on 4 November 2022 but was found guilty in his absence and fined £3,000 plus a victim surcharge of £190.
Waste operators, including carriers, brokers and dealers, have to be registered to carry waste. However, some operate illegally without being registered.
Advice if you need to hire a company to take away your waste
The public can play their part in helping to keep our countryside beautiful. Fly-tipping is a blight on this beauty, is a criminal offence, and it needs to stop.
We all create waste, and we all have a responsibility to ensure our waste is legally and correctly handled so it’s appropriately disposed of and doesn’t cause harm to human health or the environment.
Central Bedfordshire Environment Services would like to remind homeowners and businesses looking for someone to take away their waste to check that they’re registered, by asking to see their waste carrier’s licence.
You should also ask where the carrier intends to take the waste and make sure they provide you with a waste transfer note, as fly-tippers thrive on there being no records of their activities.
If they will only take payment in cash, be suspicious, do not let them take your rubbish. Please remember, you too could break the law and be at risk of prosecution if your waste isn’t managed properly.
- UK Fly Tipping and Littering (UKFTL) (Facebook Group)
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19 Aug 2022
Flytip - Luton culprits given spot penalty
When Central Bedfordshire Council were told of this flytip in Caddington area they sent their environmental officer to investigate.
Evidence was found from an address in Luton and passed to an Environmental Protection Officer to investigate.
An address was visited and the occupant admitted they paid someone to take it away.
A £300 fixed penalty notice was issued.
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10 June 22
Fly-tipping Integration Problems With CBC IT System
- There are issues with how FixMyStreet app does not apparently integrate with Central Bedfordshire Council's (CBC) data collection system.
A debate on Fly-tipping by CBC took place on 9 June. Important listening as it helps you understand the thoughts of elected councillors and current thinking.
There is an associated report that helps explain the questions raised by these unitary authority councillors.
Questions posed included:
◘ What about more cctv cameras?
◘ What about not charging for trade waste at HWRCs?
◘ What about householders taking photographs of their waste before the waste carrier takes it away, and holding the pictures on a centralised database, so if it's fly-tipped it might be matched up?
◘ What about the use of drone cameras?
◘ What is the easiest way for residents to report fly-tipping?
FixMyStreet Flytipping Incidents & Integration Problems at CBC
On Fixmystreet.com a member of the public can report most issues, but at present, anyone wanting to report a fly-tipping incident in Central Bedfordshire is being redirected to another website to make their report.
The link for Flytipping reports, our reporting tool, takes the user through to the CBC website, where a series of questions are asked about the site of the fly-tip, the nature of the fly-tipping waste, and requesting contact details of the person reporting the fly-tip.
A spokesperson for FixMyStreet said today, "Central Bedfordshire have a separate reporting form for flytipping using a system called Jadu, which is not integrated with FixMyStreet, like some Central Bedfordshire categories already are. They asked us to set it up so that people picking the flytipping category on FixMyStreet would be directed to their separate reporting system. We would like it if flytipping was a normal FixMyStreet category and could send the data directly to their system, as we do with some other categories, and we've been speaking to Central Bedfordshire about how that could be possible - I think we were awaiting any API information about how we could talk directly to Jadu."
A further debate will take place at CBC in September, but the consensus among councillors at this meeting was that they would prefer to persevere with FixMyStreet.com and resolve the integration problems.
You can continue to report the following problems at FixMyStreet.com or through the app:
- Bridges and Subways
- Bus stops, benches, barriers
- Crossings
- Flooding and Blocked Drains
- Bins and Graffiti
- Grass,
- Trees,
- Verges and Weeds
- Lighting
- Pavements, Kerbs & Cycle Paths
- Potholes and Road Surface
- Rights of way - you are redirected to a CBC URL to report these.
- Road Markings and Lining
- Roadworks
- Signs Damaged or Missing
- Surface cover
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13 Apr 2022
In Dunstable, the Dunstable Wombles gathered to clean up The Green Lanes. You can find out more about the Dunstable Wombles on their Facebook Page.
Clean Sweep as 250 Volunteers Take Up The Litter-Picking Challenge
- 250 volunteers support the Great British Spring Clean
The Great British Spring Clean was a big success – and Central Bedfordshire Council would like to thank every one of the 250 litter pickers who turned out to join the annual campaign.
The council supported an incredible 18 groups of litter pickers during the two-week period this year. Groups covered a variety of areas within Central Bedfordshire from Fairfield in the north to Billington in the south.
The groups included charities, community groups, schools, a climate change group, and Town and Parish councils and they all made a real difference tidying up their communities
The Council’s Community Engagement and Environmental Services teams worked together to provide groups and town and parish councils with handy litter grabbers, bags, and sturdy hoops to hold the bags open, and the council’s waste collection contractor, FCC Environment, collected waste from pre-arranged locations.
Participants were encouraged to separate recyclables and general waste into two individual bags to maximise recycling where possible.
Cllr Ian Dalgarno, the Executive Member for Community Services, said, “I would like to thank all the participants from across Central Bedfordshire who gave their time to get involved and support this national campaign.
“This is an excellent example of volunteer effort and community action. Volunteers are willingly helping to improve their local environment for others, and it is this kind of spirit that makes Central Bedfordshire such a great place to live and work.
“Every bag of litter removed makes a huge difference - to the environment, to our communities, and to the wildlife that makes the great outdoors their home.
“Research also shows that helping a local litter pick benefits our mental health as well as keeping our streets and beauty spots clean.”
The Great British Spring Clean is coordinated by Keep Britain Tidy and ran from 25 March to 10 April 2022.
In Houghton Regis, Friends of Windsor Drive collected some 25 bags of rubbish, a burnt-out motorbike, a deep fat fryer, a Deliveroo bag, unmentionable smalls, and reported this sofa for removal, which later found its way into the middle of the field thanks to youths spotted in the area.
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28 Jul 2021
Sundon Road Fly-Tip - Householder Fined
Back at the end of 2019, Central Bedfordshire Council Environmental Protection Officer found this fly tip in a layby on Sundon Road, Chalton. Evidence found in the waste led back to a property in Luton. After many attempts at visiting and trying to contact the householder, there was never any reply.
This case was recently heard at Magistrates Court, the householder did not appear for Court and was found guilty in absence and ended up with a fine and costs to pay amounting to £1,360.
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23 Aug 2021
Whether you're fed up with seeing litter and small fly-tips around you, or just want to do something to raise the profile of your street or your neighbourhood, to make it a better place to live, our local councils can provide that little help you might need.
Help is there for anyone who wants to help litter pick
Whether you're fed up with seeing litter and small fly-tips around you, or just want to do something to raise the profile of your street or your neighbourhood, to make it a better place to live, our local councils can provide that little help you might need.
Central Bedfordshire Council told me,
“We support communities to organise and participate in local litter picks in the following ways:
- Promotion of the Keep Britain Tidy Great British Spring Clean (GBSC) through town and parish councils and support to Town and Parish Council’s to organise local litter picking groups and events.
- Arrange the collection of litter collected from GBSC and non-GBSC litter pick events if we’re advised in advance.
- Issue guidance to volunteer litter pickers.
- Ward Cllr grant scheme – groups interested in litter picking and in need of equipment could approach their ward councillor for a grant. Find your CBC Houghton Regis councillors here: Houghton Hall, Parkside, and Tithe Farm
- Central Bedfordshire Council can only assist with litter picking on public land, and only collect litter, not the removal of large items.
The Clerk to Houghton Regis Town Council told me,
“We can offer out litter pickers and hoops to groups who would like to organise a litter-pick. The group need to organise the event itself and arrange for collection of waste.”
Keep Britain Tidy are encouraging groups to send in details of the items they have picked.
Keep Britain Tidy run a Litter Heroes Ambassador Programme and you can register your interest here. We will then contact you when the programme is back open and accepting applications.
Perhaps you have you got what it takes to be a #LitterHeroes Ambassador?
If so, join with Keep Britain Tidy!
We should all care for our local environment but we know that some go above and beyond. Whilst juggling work, family and life, people are caring for the environment not just on their own doorstep but on their neighbours’ too.
Keep Britain Tidy are looking for people, with infectious enthusiasm and a passion for action, to become a #LitterHeroes Ambassador in their local community, to help us shape the future of a litter-free UK.
Whether you can spare an hour a month or an hour a day, if you are passionate about the fight against litter, making a difference on your own doorstep and spreading the message further, this could be the opportunity for you!
You will need to enjoy getting outside and leading by example, encouraging others to love where they live and making tangible improvements to your neighbourhood. Register your interest here.
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22 Mar 2021
Ten-year-old Catherine Kirkland has been keeping active with her mum this month, picking litter in Luton. Among the haul from her collecting was a crisp packet bearing a Keep Britain Tidy logo from 1990.
Siobhan Starrs said “I find the situation in Hayes Wood on Stopsley Common particularly distressing. Plastic litter is embedded in the leaf litter, amongst broken bottles and rusty cans, it must be dangerous to the local wildlife. “
Catherine has raised over £190 so far for Dementia UK in memory of her great grandparents, who both suffered from dementia at the end of their lives.
What's The Oldest Crisp Packet You Can Find?
- Empty crisps packets up to thirty years old are among the haul collected by 10-year-old girl in Hayes Wood on Stopsley Common.
Catherine and her mother, Siobhan Starrs, have been litter picking in March in Hayes Woods on Stopsley Common in order to clean up the local environment, raise awareness about the problem of plastic pollution, and raise funds for Dementia UK in memory of her great grandparents.
The pair have been using their exercise walks to fill large bin bags with rubbish, focussing on Stopsley village, Castle Park, Hayes Woods on Stopsley Common, the woods on Bradgers Hill and Leagrave Park.
They were shocked to find the source of the River Lea at Leagrave Park, clogged with plastic bottles and other discarded items.
Siobhan Starrs said “I find the situation in Hayes Wood on Stopsley Common particularly distressing. Plastic litter is embedded in the leaf litter, amongst broken bottles and rusty cans, it must be dangerous to the local wildlife. “
Catherine said it is easy for everyone to make a difference to their local environment: “Next time you go on a walk, try to bring a plastic bag and some gloves and pick up some litter.”
Please consider donating to help Catherine raise funds for Dementia UK via Just Giving.
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18 January 2020
Rubbish Dumped in Ditch On Edge of Luton
Hampshire Way, Luton. Would the ward councillors for this area please comment below on how they have allowed the ditch alongside this road to accumulate so much rubbish? Do you even walk your own patch? The amount of rubbish dumped there will keep a couple of fly-tipping teams busy for some time. Disgraceful. 😡
This picture represents only a small quantity of rubbish in this ditch. We have many more photos. It has clearly accumulated over time, meaning that it could have been acted on earlier. It's not something that has just appeared overnight.
To report fly-tipping Luton Borough Council do use http://FixMyStreet.com
To find a licenced registered waste carrier to clear your home go to Search Waste Carriers
To the commentator who suggested it when this post was shared by Luton Developments, no, we could not have collected the rubbish ourselves,
a) we're not registered licenced waste carriers,
b) we did not have the necessary transport,
c) ideally you need to be professionally dressed to deal with waste
d) council officials need to sift through bagged rubbish to look for evidence of the origin of the rubbish to bring about any prosecution(s)
The information that the ditch is possibly technically in CBC area is useful. We have contacts with CBC and these will help to resolve this incident for Lutonians.
