Hazardous Fly-tip - Nobody will deal - what next?
Discussion
For ease and simplicity I will post the sequential facts:
-Neighbour fly tips a load of industrial waste behind our houses in council greenspace (public access woodland) last year.
-In March this year I decide to report it as having gone out for a closer look I was surprised at the amount there, plus it is likely attracting rodents/foxes/pests.
-A few days later I met the contactor sent to assess it in person and chatted to him, he was shocked at the volume and said it would be a large and awkward job to shift it (2 grab lorries and additional equipment to access it as it is over a large bank).
-I hear nothing for weeks, so start to chase council, all they say is they are aware and it is being processed/reviewed. It also comes to light that there is a load of asbestos in the tip which I wasn't aware of.
-Since March I have been calling weekly for an update however nobody will provide one or speak to me. I only get through to reception and despite messages being left I have no updates given and no information to understand what is happening. I am now being fobbed off with its with this team / with that team - but nothing happens and nobody will speak to me.
-I have tried to escalate it with the Environment agency - they are not interested.
-I have considered the H and S executive but I am sure this is not their remit.
-I have tried to submit a complaint with the council however this seems long winded and doesn't solve the issue in hand.
So, I have a load of hazardous waste outside my garden and seemingly nobody is interested, and there is no means of escalation. What should I do?
-Neighbour fly tips a load of industrial waste behind our houses in council greenspace (public access woodland) last year.
-In March this year I decide to report it as having gone out for a closer look I was surprised at the amount there, plus it is likely attracting rodents/foxes/pests.
-A few days later I met the contactor sent to assess it in person and chatted to him, he was shocked at the volume and said it would be a large and awkward job to shift it (2 grab lorries and additional equipment to access it as it is over a large bank).
-I hear nothing for weeks, so start to chase council, all they say is they are aware and it is being processed/reviewed. It also comes to light that there is a load of asbestos in the tip which I wasn't aware of.
-Since March I have been calling weekly for an update however nobody will provide one or speak to me. I only get through to reception and despite messages being left I have no updates given and no information to understand what is happening. I am now being fobbed off with its with this team / with that team - but nothing happens and nobody will speak to me.
-I have tried to escalate it with the Environment agency - they are not interested.
-I have considered the H and S executive but I am sure this is not their remit.
-I have tried to submit a complaint with the council however this seems long winded and doesn't solve the issue in hand.
So, I have a load of hazardous waste outside my garden and seemingly nobody is interested, and there is no means of escalation. What should I do?
Bigends said:
See what the Police say - fly tipping has been a notifiable offence for some years now - they may be able to chase the authorities to get moving
Fly tipping is generally investigated by the local council environmental services following an agreement between them both, with the police referring reports to them. I doubt the police will investigate unless other factors are involved. I imagine the local authorities are swamped with such reports and are working against an ever growing list of reports and struggling to keep up, meaning people just have to bide their time.
Yes police are not an option, they may record it but will bin it and take no action, that's how they operate these days. Local MP or councillor are a fair shout.
Local paper - do they still exist?
There is the Esso aviation fuel pipeline directly below it apparently so apparently that's the issue - they are a third party who will have no interest in co-operating so I suspect it may all end in stalemate.
I have told the council who it was but they say they can't prove it etc.
Local paper - do they still exist?
There is the Esso aviation fuel pipeline directly below it apparently so apparently that's the issue - they are a third party who will have no interest in co-operating so I suspect it may all end in stalemate.
I have told the council who it was but they say they can't prove it etc.
Submitting a complaint with the council is more "long winded" than posting and responding on here? Really???
Just go through their website, attach any documentation you have, note down the times of previous reports and submit it.
You may also want to attach a copy of the confirmation email in an email to your local Councillors/MP.
It astounds me the amount of people who either initially kick off and get shut down for being rude or who simply don't follow the complaints process.
As with most regulated organisations the council HATE getting FORMAL complaints like this - and hate it even more when they're referred to the Local Government Ombudsman Service and Councillors/MPs start getting involved.
Fly tipping is also a criminal offence. You can also report him to the police and invoke the "community trigger" (officially known as an Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review) if they still don't pull their finger out and do their job.
Re the Esso part - the same applies there. With some digging it's not particuarly hard to find email address' and start formally complaining there either.
You can call it a load of hassle or you can call it doing something for you and those around you who actually give a shiny s
te about where they live.
Just go through their website, attach any documentation you have, note down the times of previous reports and submit it.
You may also want to attach a copy of the confirmation email in an email to your local Councillors/MP.
It astounds me the amount of people who either initially kick off and get shut down for being rude or who simply don't follow the complaints process.
As with most regulated organisations the council HATE getting FORMAL complaints like this - and hate it even more when they're referred to the Local Government Ombudsman Service and Councillors/MPs start getting involved.
Fly tipping is also a criminal offence. You can also report him to the police and invoke the "community trigger" (officially known as an Anti-Social Behaviour Case Review) if they still don't pull their finger out and do their job.
Re the Esso part - the same applies there. With some digging it's not particuarly hard to find email address' and start formally complaining there either.
You can call it a load of hassle or you can call it doing something for you and those around you who actually give a shiny s
te about where they live. Edited by Biker9090 on Friday 17th July 16:34
What evidence is there linking the neighbour to the fly tipping?
Env Health look for incriminating items in the mess.
Police would get involved in an actual ongoing incident, catching the culprit red handed. Otherwise it's left to EH and council to investigate, act. These bodies exist to deal with it not pass the buck onto police. Maybe they should be chased harder to do their job.
Get the councillors on the case.
Env Health look for incriminating items in the mess.
Police would get involved in an actual ongoing incident, catching the culprit red handed. Otherwise it's left to EH and council to investigate, act. These bodies exist to deal with it not pass the buck onto police. Maybe they should be chased harder to do their job.
Get the councillors on the case.
[quote=Plus4Four#]What evidence is there linking the neighbour to the fly tipping?
Env Health look for incriminating items in the mess.
Police would get involved in an actual ongoing incident, catching the culprit red handed. Otherwise it's left to EH and council to investigate, act. These bodies exist to deal with it not pass the buck onto police. Maybe they should be chased harder to do their job.
Get the councillors on the case.
[/quote]
The Police actually passed the buck to the Local authorities years back - I remember the panic about the rise in crime figures when we used to record the fly tippings
Env Health look for incriminating items in the mess.
Police would get involved in an actual ongoing incident, catching the culprit red handed. Otherwise it's left to EH and council to investigate, act. These bodies exist to deal with it not pass the buck onto police. Maybe they should be chased harder to do their job.
Get the councillors on the case.
[/quote]
The Police actually passed the buck to the Local authorities years back - I remember the panic about the rise in crime figures when we used to record the fly tippings
Odd that the neighbour would st on his own doorstep.
Does your council use Fix My Street to report everything from potholes to street lights and including fly tipping?
Make a once a week Fix My Street report which will show up anonymously on the public website and can be seen by anyone. Use varying language and style so it looks like multiple people reporting (council will know it is you). Include photographs and especially photograph anything identifying like an address label.
After a month make a nuisance by posting on Fix My Street everyday until you trip some KPI metric or get arrested.
t on his own doorstep.Does your council use Fix My Street to report everything from potholes to street lights and including fly tipping?
Make a once a week Fix My Street report which will show up anonymously on the public website and can be seen by anyone. Use varying language and style so it looks like multiple people reporting (council will know it is you). Include photographs and especially photograph anything identifying like an address label.
After a month make a nuisance by posting on Fix My Street everyday until you trip some KPI metric or get arrested.
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