Select Committee on Office of the Deputy Prime Minister: Housing, Planning, Local Government and the Regions Written Evidence


Memorandum by the Environment Agency (GTS 48)

  The Agency welcomes the opportunity to comment on the views expressed at the inquiry hearing on 29 June 2004 in which it was commented that the Agency ". . . did not want to know anything about the fly-tipping issues and they passed it back to the district . . .".

  Both the Agency and local authorities have powers to tackle fly-tipping. The Local Government Association (LGA) and the Agency have entered into an agreement as to the division of responsibilities between the Agency and local authorities to ensure effective working without duplication of effort. The Agency will in general focus on tackling large-scale illegal dumping (eg more than a tipper-lorry load of waste), involvement of organised criminals in waste-crime and the illegal dumping of drums of hazardous waste. Local authorities should in general focus their efforts on smaller-scale fly-tipping and littering—such as is the case at Cottenham.

  In the case of the fly-tipping referred to in evidence to the Committee, this is properly a matter for the local authority, in this case the District Council, to tackle. The Agency's local Area office has previously worked with the District Council and has explained the Agency's position as well as providing advice on the potential scope for enforcement action in this area. These discussions with the local authority resulted in agreement being reached with the District Council as to their lead-role at this site.

July 2004





 
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