People in Northumberland who use back lanes as a dumping ground are being warned to clean up their act or face a fine.
This month a Blyth man has been fined for fly-tipping household waste following an investigation by environmental enforcement officers at Northumberland County Council
Harrison Chatton, 24 of Hambledon Street, Blyth, pleaded guilty at Newcastle Magistrates Court on Friday 7th June 2024 to illegally fly-tipping waste in the rear lane of Hambledon Street, Blyth.
He was sentenced to a fine of £120 reduced to £80 for his early guilty plea, ordered to pay £300 in costs and a victim surcharge of £32, making a total financial penalty of £412.
On Wednesday 3rd January 2024 a fly tipping incident involving household waste was discovered in the rear lane of Hambledon Street, Blyth. The whole incident which took place on Saturday 30th December 2023 was captured on Blyth's overt CCTV camera.
Officers from the Council’s Environmental Enforcement Team went to investigate and Chatton, who was identified, attended an interview and admitted placing the large box outside his rear gate into the lane but denied fly-tipping, expecting the county council to clear the contaminated waste.
A spokesperson for Northumberland County Council said:
“Residents can’t just dump waste outside their properties and expect the council to pick it up. We have a zero-tolerance approach to fly tipping wherever it may occur. We have designated bin collection days and items not suitable for this can be taken to our Household Waste Recovery Centres or collected by arrangement through our bulky waste collection service.”
“We can and will take action against people who treat the back lanes like a rubbish tip. Put your rubbish in your bin or dispose of it correctly – it is as simple as that.”