A High Price for Fly-tipping

12.00.00am BST (GMT +0100) Sun 1st Oct 2006

A Milton Keynes woman who dumped rubbish near a children's play park at the back of her home has been left with a bill of more than £500.

Milton Keynes magistrates were told that Council enforcement officers found a pile of old washing machines, TV sets, fencing posts and other rubbish when they visited the play area backing onto Mason, Stantonbury.

When visited by enforcement officers from the Safer Communities Unit, the culprit, Deborah Tierney, who lives in Mason, admitted the offence immediately.

But despite repeated discussions, she failed to have the rubbish removed, and several further attempts to speak to her were unsuccessful. She also failed to respond to two attempts to invite her to a formal interview.

She appeared in court to admit to one offence under the Environmental Protection Act 1990. She was ordered to pay a fine of £100, with £136 in compensation, and £276 costs - a total of £512.

In mitigation, the court heard that Mrs Tierney had paid £50 for the area to be cleared but she had been let down. As she did not have a car, she had no way of removing the rubbish herself.

This was just one of a number of cases of alleged fly-tipping recently heard at Milton Keynes Magistrates Court.

Liberal Democrat Councillor Douglas McCall, cabinet member responsible for the environment, said: "Fly-tipping is a serious problem on open land in Milton Keynes and we get regular complaints about this. It ruins the environment and costs the council taxpayers of Milton Keynes significant sums every year.

"There's really no excuse to dump things like washing machines and TVs, as the Council will collect them free with a special collection. There is a charge for special collections for DIY waste - but it's a lot cheaper than a fine."

For a special collection please call (01908) 252570.