LOCAL authorities have been told they need to ‘up their game’ as GMB Union data shows less than half of fly-tipping incidents resulted in a call out.

As well as punishing fly-tippers, councils must make it easy to use recycling and collection schemes for bulk items while pandemic access restrictions on using recycling centres requiring bookings need to be rolled back says the GMB Union.

A new study of the latest official data by GMB, the union for refuse and street cleaning workers, shows that the 30 councils in the South West of England took 14,956 actions to deal with 50,506 fly -tipping incidents recorded in the region for 2019/20.

The study shows that, in terms of the number of actions per fly-tipping incidents, there is a huge variation.

In Cornwall there were 3,657 incidents reported during 2019/20, that is 20% less than the previous year but with only 615 actions taken and three prosecutions the council is well below many others.

Torridge fared better, with more actions taken (261) than reported fly tipping incidents (194) with no prosecutions needing to be made and an 18% reduction in reports compared to the previous year.

It was the Forest of Dean with 2,050 actions compared to 1,190 incidents that came out on top, whereas Somerset West and Taunton and Bournemouth, Christchurch and Poole councils by contrast failed to record any actions against fly-tippers at all.

Actions on fly-tipping by councils include: warning letters, statutory notices, fixed penalty notices, formal cautions, stop and search, vehicle seizures, injunctions, prosecutions.

Overall across the region councils took 14,956 actions. This is approximately three actions for every ten incidents across the region.

GMB is calling for a uniform policy, across the South West of England councils, of punishing cowboy builders’ identified fly-tipping to confiscate their vehicles. This would send the right message.

Justin Bowden, GMB Southern regional secretary, said: “Government and local councils have to be more proactive in dealing with fly-tipping incidents.

“The data for 2019/20 shows far too much variation in the numbers of actions councils take in response to fly-tipping incidents. Some councils take far too little action.

“Many councils need to up their game on dealing with fly-tipping and fly-tippers.

“There needs to be better education on the costs of dealing with the problem and how people can dispose of rubbish and unwanted items properly.

“Councils must invest in easy to access recycling and disposal facilities for residents to use and offer accessible collection schemes for bulk items. Recent restrictions on using recycling centres due to the pandemic in terms of capacity and access without bookings need to be rolled back.

“They must not become permanent or make access to them more difficult.”

Ruth Brady, GMB Wales and South West regional secretary, said: “Councils have to firmly clamp down on fly-tipping by larger fines, investment in surveillance equipment and rigorous investigation of incidents and follow up action. Some councils have a poor record on this which encourages an attitude of impunity.

“A uniform policy, across the South West of England of punishing cowboy builders identified fly-tipping to confiscate their vehicles would send the right message.

“We need a policy of zero tolerance with action against fly-tipping on all fronts at all times.”