A new hotline for reporting fly-tippers has been launched by the council as it reveals it has fined 90 people since lockdown started.
Residents will be able to call the number – 01273 295063 – and give details of a fly-tip crime, allowing council staff to respond immediately.
Enforcement officers have issued 90 £400 fines for fly-tipping, totalling more than £35,000 since lockdown started.
Councillor Anne Pissaridou, chair of the council’s Environment, Transport and Sustainability Committee, said: “We hope residents will use the new hotline and join us in our battle against fly-tippers.
“It’s a horrible and needless crime as it harms the environment and costs the council, therefore council taxpayers, money.
“It’s carried out by people who don’t care about the damage they’re doing or the mess they’re creating.
“They know they’re doing wrong because they hardly ever dump their rubbish or waste in broad daylight or in view of people.
“The number of fines we’ve handed out recently shows we do catch these people and we will continue to do so, even more now as we’ve made reporting easier.”
Previously, people wanting to report fly-tippers had to fill in an online form on the council’s website.
But now they can also use the new phone line, which will be staffed from 8am to 5pm Monday to Friday, allowing enforcement officers to take swifter action, and possibly even catch the perpetrators in the act.
Callers outside these hours will be able to leave a message with details of where and when the fly-tip took place.
The new number will be for reporting fly-tipping issues only, with the phone line operator not being able to discuss any other council issues.
