A Ruddington resident has been ordered to pay almost £1,000 in fines and costs after blighting a local car park with fly-tipping and blocking car parking spaces.
Rushcliffe Borough Council (RBC) prosecuted Ken Betts after he illegally dumped mattresses and household items on the housing association land in the village at the rear of his property, triggering multiple complaints from the local residents.
The Council’s enforcement officers from Waste Investigations Support & Enforcement (WISE) alongside officers from RBC’s Community Safety Team found evidence linking him to the items that were impacting local residents in the area.
Following an investigation, he failed to remove the items or make an initial Fixed Penalty Notice payment of £500, despite multiple reminders being delivered. The items were subsequently removed by RBC following further complaints and the waste pile getting larger.
The Council subsequently brought the matter to Nottingham Magistrates’ Court earlier this month, where he failed to attend the court and in his absence was convicted of fly-tipping, being ordered to pay £977 and now has a criminal record.
Fly-tipping is a criminal offence and residents have a duty of care to ensure that their household waste is disposed of in the correct manner. Failing to do so can result in enforcement action, including a fixed penalty notice of up to £500 or prosecution through the courts which can result in a criminal conviction and higher financial penalties.
RBC’s Cabinet Portfolio Holder for Environment and Safety Cllr Rob Inglis said: “Fly-tipping is a serious offence and blights our wonderful neighbourhoods and there is simply no excuse for dumping or leaving items near your home.
“Leaving your household waste in areas such as car parks and other public spaces has major negative impacts on local communities and can result in significant environmental issues, so our teams work hard to ensure offenders face punishment.
“I’m really pleased we’ve seen punishment brought to this selfish, lazy and irresponsible individual whose actions have angered the community.
“Residents and businesses are reminded to take care when disposing of waste to ensure they do not inadvertently contribute to waste crime. Always use a registered waste carrier and understand what we call your legal duty of care.
“Take extra care when sourcing providers via social media or being cold called with a cheap quote. If it sounds too cheap to be true, it often is.
“Failure to make sure you keep up your duty care so may also result in action such as a fine or criminal conviction.”
Ruddington Ward Member Cllr Jen Walker added: “As a local councillor, I was disappointed to have to report this fly-tipping incident in Ruddington. I am therefore pleased that enforcement action has led to a successful outcome in court.
“The people of Rushcliffe expect and deserve clean, safe neighbourhoods, and this prosecution shows that reports from residents are taken seriously.
“Thank you to everyone who helped bring this matter to the Council’s attention and to the officers who pursued the case.”
