Brookside fly-tipper fined £450

When officers arrived after reports of fly‑tipping, they were met with a brazen pile of rubbish dumped in plain sight on a public footpath.

Soggy cardboard, polystyrene sheets, supermarket bags stuffed with general household waste as well as unwanted handbags and even a dumped travel bag left right in the middle of the footpath. The mess amounted to five bags and a cardboard box of rubbish.

An investigation traced the waste back to an address on Brereton and a Fixed Penalty Notice was issued to the resident responsible for breaching their legal duty of care – the requirement for all householders to make sure their rubbish is disposed of safely and correctly.

The notice offered them the opportunity to resolve the matter without court proceedings. No explanation for the disposal of the waste was provided, and the individual has now paid the £450 fine in full.

Councillor Richard Overton, Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing and Enforcement, said “There is absolutely no excuse for dumping waste like this. When people fail to dispose of rubbish responsibly, it blights neighbourhoods and places unnecessary financial pressure on taxpayers who ultimately fund clean‑ups.

“This case sends a clear message: if waste from your home ends up dumped illegally, you are responsible – and you will face enforcement action.

“We are grateful to residents who continue to report incidents and support us in keeping communities safe, clean and welcoming.”

“We’re committed to tackling fly‑tipping and ensuring everyone follows their legal duty of care,” said the Council’s Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services.

“Most residents dispose of their waste correctly, but a small number choose to ignore the rules. Cases like this demonstrate that we will investigate, trace waste back to its source, and take tough action where required.”