League of shame for the worst fly-tipping areas

A total of 128 incidents were recorded there in just 12 months – more than two a week.

Close behind in the league of shame is the Birkby area of Huddersfield with 110 incidents, followed by Dewsbury and Fartown who are tied on 106.

In fifth place is Heckmondwike, between Dewsbury and Batley, making North Kirklees a far more likely area to come across fly-tipping. North Kirklees occupies three more places in the top 10 with the Ravensthorpe, Birstall, and Cleckheaton areas.

Council figures show fly-tipping has risen over the past 12 months, peaking in April with 393 incidents – more than 13 a day across the borough. Kirklees Council says the increases are due to “improved reporting” by members of the public.

The database of fly-tipping incidents reveals it’s not just hidden back-alleys and rural lay-bys that are attracting illegal waste dumps.

Kirklees has had to deal with fly-tipping almost everywhere, even on M62 sliproads and at high profile locations within Huddersfield town centre, including Castlegate, Railway Street by the train station and at Ramsden Street on its own doorstep outside Huddersfield Town Hall.

Last month, in a personal blog for the Labour group, former council leader Clr David Sheard, said the council’s policy of cutting back on items accepted at its tips was not the root cause of fly-tipping.

Clr Sheard has insisted that about 50% of fly-tipped waste could be disposed of legitimately.

New rules banning the public from disposing of rubble, stone, bricks, turf, paving slabs, ceramics and soil at Kirklees waste and recycling centres were imposed in 2016.

Clr Sheard produced figures from a council report that showed incidents of fly-tipping went down during the second half of 2017.

Levels were around the mid 200s per month in the latter half of 2017, falling to only 108 incidents last December.

But the latest figures acquired by the Examiner show they have shot up again – registering at over 300 incidents per month in four out of the last five months.

A report by council officials has concluded levels of fly-tipping have fluctuated up and down since the restrictions at tips were brought in.

It is thought that most fly-tipping is done by rogue businesses who are dodging waste disposal fees and unlicensed waste and scrap collectors who tell members of the public they will clear their rubbish for cash, only to dump it in a lay-by or back alley.

A small amount of fly-tipping is done by householders themselves.

At the last full council meeting in Kirklees, Clr Michael Watson asked if any fly-tippers had been caught using covert cameras.

He was told there had been no use of covert cameras but that several people had been given fixed penalty notices after being snared on CCTV.

One person was successfully prosecuted in court. Fly-tipping can be reported to the council via its website or www.kirklees.gov.uk/report/ReportFlyTippingStart.aspx

The top 10 worst neighbourhoods for fly-tipping in the past 12 months: Batley .................................................... 128 Birkby .................................................... 110 Dewsbury ...................................... ...... 106 Fartown ............................................... 106 Heckmondwike ................................... 88 Crosland Moor .................................. 76 Ravensthorpe ..................................... 66 Birstall ................................................... 56 Cleckheaton ........................................ 55 Paddock ................................................ 54