Sedgemoor District Council has this week warned fly-tippers they face fines of up to £50,000 for illegally dumping rubbish in the Burnham-On-Sea area.
It comes just days after items were dumped in Pople’s Bow, pictured above, and a large quantity of rubbish was also discarded in Burnham’s Stoddens Lane.
District council spokeswoman Claire Faun told Burnham-On-Sea.com: “Fly tipping is a serious environmental problem, which is illegal and punishable by a fine or imprisonment. The cost to Sedgemoor District Council, to remove fly tipped waste, is approximately £25 per incident.”
She added: “In June 2005, the Government introduced stiffer penalties for fly tipping and made it an arrestable offence. The new measures were brought into force as part of the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environment Act 2005. This includes fly tipping fines of up to £50,000 in a Magistrates Court, or an unlimited fine or up to five years’ imprisonment if prosecuted in a Crown Court.”
“Fly tipping is unsightly, hazardous to children and attracts vermin. Sedgemoor District Council treats this problem very seriously and will prosecute anyone caught flytipping waste. In an effort to reduce the number of fly tipping incidents, we provide a bulky item collection for large items. To arrange for a bulky item collection please contact us.”
“We will, in most instances, clear dumped rubbish from public land. If however the rubbish has been dumped in the road and causes a safety hazard Somerset County Council should remove it. We do not clear dumped rubbish from private land that is the responsibility of the landowner/tenant.”
