To interview the Cabinet Portfolio holders for Environment, Transport and Planning, Cllr Rob Broom and for Stronger Communities and Equalities, Cllr Nazmin Chowdhury regarding their policy position for fly-tipping and any future developments to tackle fly-tipping.
Minutes:
The Committee interviewed the Cabinet Portfolio Holders for Environment, Transport and Planning and Stronger Communities and Equalities as part of its review of fly-tipping.
Members discussed the importance of a balanced approach combining prevention, education, communication and enforcement. It was considered important that residents and businesses received clear and regular information about what constituted fly-tipping, including simple visual communications showing examples of unacceptable waste disposal. Members noted that some residents might not understand that leaving items beside bins, at recycling sites or in other public areas constituted fly-tipping and that greater awareness of the seriousness of the offence was required.
There was strong support for maintaining an appropriate enforcement response, particularly in cases of persistent or repeated fly-tipping. Members considered that residents should generally be given an opportunity to rectify matters following an initial incident or warning, but that further action, including Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs), should be considered where fly-tipping continued. Members did not support setting a numerical target for the issuing of FPNs, as this could create an inappropriate incentive for enforcement. Instead, it was suggested that enforcement activity should be monitored as a statistic to assess how effectively cases supported prevention, clearance and behaviour change.
Members raised concerns regarding fly-tipping at recycling and bring-bank locations, particularly where black bags or other items were left beside containers. Officers advised that recycling teams attended such sites at least three times a week, while the cleansing team attended daily, including a seven-day operation to clear fly-tipping. Members nevertheless considered whether improved signage, monitoring and communications at hotspot locations could help prevent incidents. The possibility of increasing waste disposal capacity was also discussed. While members recognised that overflowing or unavailable facilities could contribute to inappropriate disposal, the preferred approach was to encourage responsible disposal alongside improvements to signage and monitoring rather than simply increasing capacity.
The Committee heard that repeated fly-tipping in particular locations remained a significant concern. Members noted that residents frequently raised complaints about persistent offenders and considered that stronger enforcement could provide an effective deterrent. It was suggested that communications could be targeted not only at suspected perpetrators but also more widely across affected streets, informing residents that the Council was investigating fly-tipping and reinforcing that the behaviour would not be accepted. Members also suggested that residents could be encouraged to report incidents or provide information anonymously where they had witnessed fly-tipping.
The use of door-to-door engagement in hotspot areas was proposed alongside letters and leaflets, enabling officers to engage directly with residents and encourage the reporting of suspected incidents. Members considered that visible Council presence in affected communities could itself act as a deterrent and help officers develop stronger links with residents. It was also suggested that conversations with suspected perpetrators could have a preventative effect even where there was insufficient evidence to issue an FPN.
Members discussed the potential publication of photographs or details of individuals who had received enforcement action. Concerns were raised regarding privacy, GDPR and the potential for such measures to be disproportionate. Officers advised that the legal position would need to be checked and that there could be opportunities to publicise enforcement through photographs of fly-tipping incidents or communications confirming that enforcement action had been taken, without necessarily identifying individuals.
The Committee considered the role of CCTV and other monitoring technology in tackling fly-tipping hotspots. Officers advised that CCTV was already available at some locations and that redeployable cameras could be positioned in hotspot areas. However, moving cameras could require consent from Hertfordshire County Council and could involve significant costs. Officers confirmed that the use and positioning of existing CCTV, including dome cameras, would be reviewed to determine how it could better support both prevention and enforcement. Members considered that, where appropriate, publicising the presence of CCTV could provide an additional deterrent.
A potential concern was raised regarding the use of reports from individual residents, particularly where there could be underlying neighbour disputes. Members stressed that allegations should be appropriately investigated and corroborated before enforcement action was taken, rather than relying solely on unsubstantiated complaints. Officers confirmed that investigations would take account of this risk.
Members discussed the potential creation of a dedicated fly-tipping enforcement officer within the Council. It was suggested that an officer working alongside the existing waste and cleansing staff could provide dedicated enforcement capacity, improve day-to-day intelligence gathering and develop stronger relationships within affected communities. Members suggested that the role could potentially incorporate other environmental enforcement responsibilities, such as fly-posting and abandoned vehicles, or potentially be shared with another local authority. The proposal was considered worthy of further exploration.
The Committee also considered comparative fly-tipping statistics, which appeared to show Stevenage recording significantly higher levels than some other Hertfordshire authorities. Officers advised that work had been undertaken through the Hertfordshire Fly-Tipping Group to investigate these differences. It was explained that Stevenage recorded a wider range of incidents than some other authorities, including fly-tipping at flat blocks, and had a greater number of bring-bank sites. Consequently, comparisons between authorities were not necessarily like-for-like. Officers indicated that work would continue to improve consistency in reporting across Hertfordshire.
The Portfolio Holder for Stronger Communities and Equalities supported the preventative approach, while recognising the need for stronger action against persistent offenders. It was emphasised that education should give residents and businesses a clear opportunity to understand and rectify mistakes, but repeated offences should result in a more robust response. The Portfolio Holder identified persistent fly-tipping hotspots as a particular challenge and stressed the importance of protecting pride in place and encouraging residents to take responsibility for their local environment.
The Portfolio Holder for Environment, Transport and Planning supported strengthening the Council's enforcement capability and identified fly-tipping around verges and bins as an area requiring particular attention. The proposal for dedicated enforcement capacity within the operational team was highlighted as a potential means of improving the Council's ability to respond to incidents and gather intelligence.
Overall, the Committee recognised that there was no single solution to fly-tipping and that an effective approach would require a combination of clear communications, preventative education, community engagement, improved monitoring, accurate data, appropriate enforcement and proportionate use of FPNs. Members supported further consideration of hotspot interventions, CCTV, dedicated enforcement capacity and improved consistency of data across Hertfordshire.