Fly tippers responsible for dumping dangerous waste at Wallasey Embankment have been slammed as ‘arrogant, selfish scumbags’ by a local councillor.
Following news that Wirral is among England’s fly tipping hotspots, a van load of waste wood with protruding nails was dumped at the start of the Bank Holiday weekend on the Wallasey Embankment, used by dog walkers, joggers and families.
After texts from residents to report the crime, Councillor Ian Lewis attended and met with a member of staff from the Council’s CCTV Team.
Councillor Lewis said: “This waste is a danger for anyone using the embankment – the nails in the wood can cause injury to people and pets and shows how the driver of the van, and any accomplices, couldn’t give a damn. These arrogant, selfish people are a menace to our community.
“Residents, community groups and local small businesses work hard to make our coast an attractive and welcoming place to visit.
“At the same time, the vast majority of builders, waste disposal companies and those who generate this kind of waste dispose of it responsibly and they too will have strong views on the actions of this selfish minority.”
“From the evidence we collected, it looks like those responsible for this crime may have also dropped a receipt from a transaction last night – and, helpfully, from premises that have CCTV. I will be asking the Council to do everything possible to identify these scumbags and prosecute them.”
This month, the Government announced changes that could see fly-tippers forced to pay the costs of clearing up their mess. The proposals would give councils stronger powers to issue conditional cautions requiring offenders to complete up to 20 hours of unpaid clean-up work. Councils will also be able to recover the costs of the clean-up directly from offenders, ensuring taxpayers are not left to foot the bill.
The proposals aim to speed up enforcement so that criminals face justice quicker without lengthy court proceedings, while restoring streets and public spaces.
The measures build on action announced in July to increase the maximum on-the-spot fines for fly-tipping to £5,000, a 400% uplift from the previous level of £1,000.
Local authorities have also been given clear instructions on identifying and seizing vehicles involved in fly-tipping.
Fly tipping on council land can be reported to Wirral Council via Fly tipping | wirral.gov.uk
