Fly tipping reduced in Northumberland

Current performance indicates there has been a 23% decrease in incidents for the 2024/25 period, with the Council set to exceed its target a full year ahead of schedule for 2025/26. 

On the back of this achievement, a new target has been set to reduce fly-tipping incidents by an extra 5% by the end of the 2026/27 period. 

In October 2024 alone there was a 45% reduction overall - with 236 incidents compared to 429 in October 2023, and in November there was a 29% reduction overall with 248 incidents compared to 351 in November 2023. 

Robust measures have been put in place including increasing the Fixed Penalty Notice for fly tips to £1,000, increasing the use of CCTV cameras to catch perpetrators, a targeted behaviour-change campaign and community engagement activity in affected areas. 

Since October 2024, there have been 11 Fixed Penalty Notices issued at the new amount of £1000 for fly tipping and three have been paid at the reduced rate of £750. 

The Council has also been actively speaking to residents through door-to-door visits, along with providing information on how to dispose of waste properly, legally, and easily. 

Cllr Colin Horncastle, Cabinet Member for Looking after our Environment said: “As a Council we are committed to protecting our natural environment, ensuring we provide clean spaces for our residents and visitors, and this is something we have set out in detail in our Environment Policy.  

“Not only is fly tipping an environmental crime, but every time we clean up illegally dumped rubbish, it takes resources away from our other important services.  

“While this reduction is very much welcomed, even one fly tip is one too many. We continue to urge everyone to dispose of their waste responsibly and to report fly-tipping when they see it."

Report fly-tipping via Fix My Street https://fix.northumberland.gov.uk/