Thanks to everyone who came to or helped with the first ever public meeting dedicated to the problem of flytipping on and around Gypsy Lane just outside Frome. I arranged this with fellow Mendip district councillor Peter Knibbs, Mendip’s Enforcement Officer Ian Glover and the local Police (Sgt Clark) as this has been a growing problem and is getting worse. I was pleased to see so many local residents (around 50) come to have their say about just how bad the problem is, hear what the Council and Police are doing, and what more needs to be done to stop flytipping here.

Mr Glover gave a good account of the problem and his efforts in trying to deal with it. It was clear that more needs to be done. I have asked Mendip if more resources can be found to combat flytipping, given the strength of public feeling in the Gypsy Lane area, and that the cost of clearance to the Council in this one area alone is predicted to rise to £45,000 this year, so I hope the Council can see the point of ‘investing to save’ here.

Many people at the meeting clearly wanted more surveillance to catch the flytippers, covert and overt, and Mendip must work out how to do this. Other measures should also help.

Awareness needs to be raised that residents and businesses have a legal ‘Duty of Care’ responsibility to dispose of waste properly and to only give it to ‘registered waste carriers’ (‘Ask Em’ for their registration number if you are not sure or call the Environment Agency on 03708 506 506) rather than risk giving it to flytippers, as you will be held responsible if it ends up flytipped.

Improving legitimate local waste recycling and disposal options in Frome is important. Waste is a potential resource that can mostly be reused or recycled, so awareness of the local options needs to be raised. The good news is that Frome household waste recycling centre is open longer, from 8am to 4pm, 7 days a week (since April, after a welcome U-turn by Somerset County Council), and that Somerset Waste Partnership and Viridor are planning to accept business waste at the centre, including green waste, from late summer. Frome Town Council also have a new Recycling Officer who is looking into improving local reuse and recycling facilities.

Encouraging people to report flytipping to Mendip on 0300 303 8588 will also help increase attention to it and should ensure swifter clearance. But more needs to be done to persuade people to come forward with information so the flytippers can be caught. Mr Glover and the Police talked about how people who give Witness Statements have strict legal protection from interference or harm by suspects, so people should not be afraid at all of coming forward. People can provide information to Ian Glover directly on ian.glover@mendip.gov.uk, to the Police by calling 101, and to Crimestoppers on 0800 555 111. But I have also asked the Council to look into a Flytipping Reward Scheme, to reward local residents for giving information about flytippers that leads to their prosecution. This is being done by other councils and is recommended by DEFRA’s National Flytipping Prevention Group, with costs paid for out of predicted savings in clearance costs, from recovered court costs or fines.

There is also the potential to set up aNeighbourhood Champion scheme to encourage local residents to work with the Council to improve the local environment where they live. A Mendip Council officer will be talking about this at a Frome Town Council meeting (Internal Affairs Committee, 11^th June).

I will keep residents updated on progress with these issues, as I think it is important. See my previous post, including an email to Mendip, here.