Bristol Councillors Issue Warning Following Installation of Fly-Tipping Cameras

Bristol councillors have issued a warning following the installation of new cameras across the city, aimed at identifying individuals illegally dumping waste. These cameras are being deployed in identified problem areas; some units are mobile and will be moved to new locations as Bristol City Council receives reports of additional hotspots. Council documents indicate that “a squeeze on residents’ finances seem to be still impacting behaviour.” Local enforcement personnel will routinely monitor and examine the recorded footage, with those found fly-tipping potentially facing prosecution and fines reaching up to £50,000. An update regarding fly-tipping was presented to members of the environment policy committee on 7 November. Liberal Democrat councillor Tim Kent stated: “Some parts of our ward [Hengrove and Whitchurch Park] are fly-tipped every day. There’s one area where I can guarantee you that every 48 hours someone fly-tips.” He added: “It’s a blight on all of our communities. There are commercial fly-tippers out there who are making big money.” Last year, over two-thirds of respondents to the council’s annual quality of life survey identified fly-tipping as a local issue. This issue disproportionately impacts less affluent wards, with Easton being the most severely affected; nine out of 10 residents there reported fly-tipping as a problem. Hartcliffe and Withywood followed, with 88% of residents reporting it as a problem, and Eastville with 86%. The Local Democracy Reporting Service reported that 8,556 fly-tipping incidents were documented and cleared last year. From April to June this year, 2,351 incidents were recorded and cleared, representing an increase of 291 compared to the corresponding period last year. The removal of each incident incurs an approximate cost of £150 to taxpayers. Green councillor Martin Fodor, who chairs the environment committee, commented: “There are more cameras out now. Vehicles have been seized.” He further added: “Some of the [new cameras] are mobile so hotspots can be a location for one of the cameras. They’re being used already.” The deployment of these cameras followed the council’s successful acquisition of a £30,000 government grant.