Rising costs blamed on more environmental crimes in Cornwall
Cornwall Council has to deal with more than 1,000 environmental crimes every year according to new figures.
Records indicate that there have been 3,167 environmental crimes between 2009 and 2012.
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Rising costs blamed for more fly-tipping in Cornwall
Offences include abandoned vehicles, fly-tipping, littering, misplaced rubbish and dog-fouling.
Details have also been released for the number of fixed penalty notices issued between 2009 and 2011 as well as the value of fines collected. There were 255 penalties issued resulting in £11,980 being received by the council. Figures for 2011 to 2012 are incomplete.
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The number of abandoned vehicles has been rising over the past few years. In 2009-10 there were 107 while between April and September 2012, there were 391 reported.
There has been a similar picture for fly-tipping with 316 cases between April 2011 and April 2012, while between April and September 2012 there were 213 and the total for the year is expected to top 400.
A report to councillors said: "The explanation for this is thought to be economic, the increase cost of waste disposal and permitting at civic amenity sites being contributing factors."
Figures are also provided for the number of "nuisance vehicles" – those left at the side of the road or advertised for sale on road verges.
In 2011-12 there were 28 cases and between April and September 2012 there were 13.
A pilot project in which "buyer beware" notices were placed on offending vehicles had increased the number of cases recorded. However, it said that recent evidence suggested that the number of nuisance vehicles had reduced as a result of the campaign.
Cornwall Council also keeps records of household rubbish which has been "misplaced or incorrectly presented".
There were 47 cases in 2009-10 but April to September last year saw 80 reports.
The number of dog-fouling incidents has also risen, with 577 cases in 2011-12 compared to 326 in 2010-11, when 94 dog-fouling penalties were issued and 86 were paid – a total of £4,330.
3 Comments
by dma5545
Monday, February 25 2013, 8:52AM
“I can only speak from recent experiance. I attended the local recycling center in St Austell with some old furniture, my trailer was 6'1" long, I was informed that I was 1" over the permitted length!!! and that I would have to reload my old furniture into a smaller trailer or apply for a permit!
This was the first time I have used the center in about a year so it came as a shock that things had changed. I went home and borrowed my friends smaller trailer and made 3 x trips!!
It doesnt take to much thought to know that there are some people out there that would have just fly tipped this furniture. What are the council thinking? It must be made a easy as possible to get rid of waste or our country side will just fill up with rubbish that was to difficult to dispose of properly”
by mygodlesslife
Saturday, February 23 2013, 2:04PM
“Just wondering if the cost of calculating these figures is covered by the fines recovered?
Perhaps if Cornwall Council were serious about environmental crimes, they would do more to make it easier for people NOT to do it in the first place. As it is, disposal of anything that is not taken by the weekly refuse collection, is likely to be dumped illegally based on a back of cigarette packet cost analysis of chances of getting caught/fined against the cost of removal by other methods.
The only way people are going to stop these environmental crimes is if the council offers a comprehensive and inclusive refuse scheme, or if the penalties for transgression are truly outweigh the cost of a personal outlay for independent removal.
Dog-fouling should be particularly clamped down upon, but I fear there is little the council can do about that. If you want to walk on un-fouled pavements, the greatest weapon against this is community action. Nearly everyone has a camera phone now, so if you see someone that doesn't clear up after their dog, snap them and report them.
A dog owner myself, I am hugely in favour of the reintroduction of dog licenses, massively increased fines for dog-fouling & aggression and the introduction of designated dog-parks - the only places dogs are allowed off the lead in built up areas, for their's and everyone else's safety.”
by Jonny2010
Saturday, February 23 2013, 12:23PM
“Well are you surprised Cornwall Council?
You've overseen a pathetic and ridiculous HOUSE BUILDING policy - originating from the English State - and you wonder why problems are on the increase?”