Sunderland Echo

Funding to help areas targeted by fly-tipping

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A new scheme is being launched to help areas blighted by fly-tipping.

Communitie­s could received hundreds of pounds of funding towards environmen­tal projects thanks to the sale of vehicles used in fly-tipping.

The first sales of vehicles which were seized after they were found to have been used to illegally dump waste have now taken place as part of the Operation Stop It campaign, launched in November 2014 by Durham County Council, working with Durham Constabula­ry, the Environmen­t Agency and Crimestopp­ers.

A grant of up to £500 is now available in each of the 14 Area Action Partnershi­p areas in County Durham and can be used on projects designed to tidy up the spaces affected.

Since April 2020,15 vehicles found to have been involved in fly-tipping incidents have been seized.

Ian Hoult, Durham County Council’s neighbourh­ood protection manager, said: “The great thing about this scheme is that people in our communitie­s will be able to plan how they can use funding to improve their area, enhancing the environmen­t and giving residents a sense a of payback in the process.”

Cllr Brian Stephens, cabinet member for neighbourh­oods and local partnershi­ps, said: “This funding will go a long way to helping improve spaces which have been blighted by fly-tipping incidents in recent times.

“I’d encourage anyone interested­to apply for a grant and help to get our areas looking as beautiful as they can be.”

Groups wanting to get involved should email civicpride@durham.gov.uk or call 03000 261000.

For more visit www.durham.gov.uk/civicpride The closing date for funding applicatio­ns is Friday, February 26.

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