Man fined for dumping rubbish in council fly-tipping crackdown

A WEST Lancashire man has been prosecuted after dumping bags of household waste in the Denshaw area of Up Holland.

Wigan Magistrates Court heard how Adam Mitchell had admitted depositing 12 bin bags in a ditch when interviewed by the council’s environmental enforcement officers.

Mr Mitchell, of Denshaw, attended court and pleaded guilty to fly-tipping.

He was given a fine of £300.

Mr Mitchell was also ordered to pay £503.72 in costs to the council and a victim charge of £30, making a total of £833.72.

This case demonstrates the council’s ongoing commitment to tackling fly-tipping, a criminal offence for which individuals and businesses found to have broken the law could face serious penalties.

Councillor Kevin Wright, portfolio holder for Health and Community Safety said: “The message sent out by this conviction is clear.

“West Lancashire Borough Council takes a hard line approach to fly-tippers and is committed to taking action against offenders wherever possible.”

The council would like to remind all householders that they should dispose of their own waste correctly.

If they are employing an individual or a company to remove their waste they need to make sure it is disposed of legally.

Anyone removing waste as part of a business must have a waste carrier’s licence and give waste transfer notes to whomever they take waste from.

Householders can check if anyone who removes waste from them has a waste carrier’s licence by contacting the Environment Agency.

If you think waste has been disposed of illegally then you can report this to the council 24 hours a day on our website www.westlancs.gov.uk/flytipping.

Or you can call 01695 577177 between 8.30am and 5.30pm Monday to Friday.