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Flytipping In Semilong Northampton
There is nothing worse when walking, or driving through our Neighbourhood than seeing fly-tipped rubbish, which is often later damaged further or spread around our Semilong Northampton neighbourhood.
[FLY-TIPPER LOUT PHOTOGRAPHS & VIDEO LINKS BELOW]
Fly-tipping is "the illegal deposit of any waste onto land, or any waste dumped or tipped on a site with no license to accept waste"
The waste to be considered fly-tipping rather than just litter should be of at least an equivalent quantity of a wheelbarrow full of rubbish into an area that is not covered by a Waste Management License.
There is no time requirement for the rubbish to be left there for it to be classed as fly-tipped and it is irrelevant if the landowner gives permission.
Make no mistake, fly-tipping is a serious offence which carries a maximum sentence of 5 years in prison or/and an unlimited fine.
Article date: 2nd August 2009
Flytipping is a huge problem which costs the local council tax payers thousands of pounds every year to clear up. That is money that could and should be spent on other local projects and services.
It gives the impression to some that the area is uncared for, so some people believe they can behave as anti-socially or criminally as they like.
Fly-tipping can also affect quality of life in a neighbourhood whilst also affecting property prices.
In addition, the items that get discarded are either broken or they end up being broken and thrown around whilst out in the neighbourhood. This creates a severe an un-necessary risk to the safety of the youngsters who are attracted to the rubbish.
So yes, YOU and everyone in our Semilong Northampton community should care about fly-tipping.
Article date: 2nd August 2009
Though the main law covering fly-tipping is the Environmental Protection Act 1990, there are several pieces of legislation covering fly-tipping.
Northampton Borough Council has a legal duty under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
It is illegal for any person to deposit controlled waste (household, industrial or commercial waste) to be deposited in or on any land unless a waste management license is in force and the deposit is in accordance with the license.
It is a defence to prove they have taken all reasonable measures to avoid the illegal dumping of waste or that it was a case of emergency to avoid danger to the public. It is not a defence to claim to be acting under an employer's instruction.
If Northampton Borough Council is the landowner, or the land is public land, they as the landowner could be guilty of a separate offence of permitting flytipping, or of "failing to take all reasonable measures to prevent another person from committing an offence under s33 of the EPA 1990".
Article date: 3rd August 2009Northampton Borough Council has a short and succinct main section on fly-tipping on their website [see here]
It states:
"Fly tipping is illegal and irresponsible. It is an offence under
Section 33(a) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 to deposit waste
on any land other than that which is controlled by a waste management
licence."
Good sentiments and accurate. We have even included it as well as the further information article they have, for you to [download here]
However, in the next paragraph Northampton Borough Council appear to go into the land of unicorns and green space men.
"The Council treats this problem very seriously and will prosecute anyone caught flytipping waste."
For SEMILONG.ORG's explanation of why this is make-believe, please refer to our [Fly-tipping - The Facts On The Ground section here]
Northampton Borough Council's website states that the majority of fly-tipping is black bin bags which are put out too early. This conflicts with the evidence out in the Semilong Northampton neighbourhood where the majority is clearly items of furniture.
However, Northampton Borough Council's website is very good at suggesting the alternatives to fly-tipping of recycling centres and other ways of recycling.
This is great, it is good that Northampton Borough Council educate about the alternatives to fly-tipping, but where is the education through deterrence in the form of letters through the doors in known fly-tipping problem hot spot areas and where is the enforcement?
Article date: 4th August 2009
SEMILONG.ORG rejoiced when Northampton Borough Council declared they were employing Environmental Enforcement Officers with the remit of dealing with the "significant fly-tipping problem".
We later reported a fly-tipping incident to Street Cleansing as the website at the time still requested. But were then passed on to the Housing Department, who passed us on to Andy Langton, the Neighbourhood Warden, who passed us on to the Environmental Enforcement Officers who had not quite been taken on yet. However we waited and then on 1st April 2009 when we were told they were starting no-one knew they had been employed. (It took Northampton Borough Council several weeks to discover they had Environmental Enforcement Officers and even the Human Resources Department asked SEMILONG.ORG if we had mistaken our facts and instead if the new Environmental Enforcement Officers were being employed by Northamptonshire County Council instead of Northampton Borough Council)
The alternatives to flytipping have been well publiscised by Northampton Borough Council and Northamptonshire County Council.
Recycling Centres
There are a number of Recycling Centres across the town, or closest to Semilong Northampton is the one at Sixfields where rubbish can be taken to free of charge.
So Why Fly-tip?
Cannot take things to the tip? Northampton Borough Council have a service where they can collect the rubbish for you and dispose of it. The drawback is that it will set you back £25 for three items.
Excessive Charge
SEMILONG.ORG realise this is excessive. Especially in a deprived area such as Semilong Northampton. Or especially where a very similar area, our twinned neighbourhood of St Peters in Leicester, has rubbish disposed of FREE OF CHARGE.
As an alternative, why not contact charity shops as they may be able to collect for you.
The facts on the ground are clear. The action and policies that Northampton Borough Council have to deal with fly-tippers in Semilong Northampton are NOT working. Almost constantly, the neighbourhood is blighted by fly-tipped rubbish. The people doing so have little regard to the rest of the community who have to put up with it, or to the dangers of young children playing on the sometimes hazardous rubbish (broken glass, broken furniture)
There is no enforcement of the Environmental Crime laws by Northampton Borough Council in Semilong Northampton.
Why should they, Northampton Borough Council even instruct their own staff to dump rubbish out into the neighbourhood with no idea when it is to be collected.
In The Mounts, this happens right under a sign prohibiting fly-tipping. In Semilong Northampton, the Estates Manager told SEMILONG.ORG "if it isn't put out into the car park then it won't be collected. Street Care collect it when they feel like it. It isn't possible to pre-arrange a collection"
At a Semilong Community Forum meeting Lee Burdett from the Northampton Borough Council Property Maintenance Service was asked "Do you accept that when residents see Northampton Borough Council staff dumping rubbish into the neighbourhood, they do the same as they think it is alright?" Lee Burdett answered an unequivocal "Yes" Northampton Borough Council there and then acknowledged their own actions encourage people to fly-tip rubbish. SHAMEFUL that they let this go on !!
Northampton Borough Council sets the standard and others follow.
This space is to update residents on the work of the Environmental Crime Officers in tackling the fly-tipping problem in our Semilong Northampton neighbourhood.
We will keep you posted on their success.
Northampton Borough Council have Bulky Waste Collection Service that has the potential to be a viable alternative to fly-tipping.
Alternative To Fly-tipping?
In order to encourage residents to deal with rubbish responsibly, the process that Northampton Borough Council has for their 'Bulky Waste Collection Service' has got to run as smoothly as possible.
Otherwise people may feel justified to fly-tip rubbish into our community.
SEMILONG.ORG have tested the Bulky Waste Collection Service that Northampton Borough Council offer. What was found was an eye opener.
Booked the collection via the Northampton Borough Council internet site. No reply was received to our request, not even an acknowledgement.
Request by phone 1, the address to collect from was not on file and therefore Northampton Borough Council promised to call back. No return phone call was received.
Request by phone 2, the address to collect from was still not on file and a call back was promised. This time, received a phone call and everything was concluded very satisfactorily. Paid the very reasonable fee of £10.00 The date set for collection was approximately 5 days after. Also requested a `knock and assist service` so the items would be collected from inside rather than dumped out in a car park or on the pavement where people walk and where the whole community would have to suffer it. We stated that there would be trouble in getting the bulky item outside so would need assistance as the reason for the `knock and assist service` request.
Collection Day. No collection.
Request by phone 3, Northampton Borough Council staff will call back.
Request by phone 4, Northampton Borough Council staff say they do not know what went wrong with the original planned collection but they will ensure a collection on the next day instead, however, they will call back and confirm it.
Request by phone 5, asked Northampton Borough Council staff if collection was indeed going to happen. They asked if it had already happened and i assured them it had not. Northampton Borough Council staff stated that they will call back.
Request by phone 6, Northampton Borough Council staff stated that they needed to speak with a supervisor and will call back.
Is the Bulky Waste Collection Service running smoothly?
SEMILONG.ORG have found that residents would have extraordinary difficulty in getting items picked up by Northampton Borough Council staff. The internet booking facility does not work, phone calls are promised which do not happen and planned collections do not materialise. So this is another reason why fly-tipping is so prevalent in our community and another evidence of Northampton Borough Council's actions encouraging fly-tipping.
SEMILONG.ORG go back to what we stated initially. For residents not to fly-tip, the alternative of having rubbish collected MUST be a process that goes smoothly.
As stated in our current campaigns section on every page of SEMILONG.ORG, we WILL publish photographs and video of fly-tippers who dump their rubbish onto the streets of our Semilong Northampton neighbourhood. Bear in mind it is a crime..you have been warned.
Images and video links below..
People Seen Dumping Rubbish Into Our Semilong Northampton Neighbourhood
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| Flytipping Louts 1 . |
Flytipping Lout 2 [video & photo coming soon] |
Flytipping Lout 3 [video & photo coming soon] |
Flytipping Lout 4 [video & photo coming soon] |
Semilong's Shocking Flytipping Images
Flytipping in Semilong Northampton is a constant issue for residents. Northampton Borough Council admit they encourage it to happen.
[Read the article here]
Flytipping encourages crime and anti-social behaviour in Semilong Northampton which has a HIGH crime rate according to Northamptonshire Police.
(All images, video and audio on this website are copyrighted unless otherwise stated)