Response from Cllr Mike Whiting to Upchurch Parish Council Regarding Fly Tipping in Oak Lane

Rubbish has been fly tipped in the lay-by in Oak Lane.

Please see below KCC Cllr, Mike Whiting - Member serving Swale West and Cabinet Member for Planning, Highways, Transport and Waste's response to Upchurch Parish Council regarding the recent incident of fly tipping in Oak Lane.

“Thank you for your email regarding the fly tipping in the lay-by near the golf club in Oak Lane. I condemn fully this criminal activity.

Fly tipping is a criminal activity, carried out by criminals. We must all do what we can to help Swale Council and the police catch them and put them in prison, fine them or confiscate their vehicles, which is what KCC has committed to do.

I understand Tonbridge and Malling Borough has no Household Waste sites where Swale has three. However, fly tipping in Swale is three times as bad as Tonbridge and Malling. This suggests to me that Swale's issue is more about criminal activity than the availability of facilities for law-abiding citizens.

I have been to Oak Lane this evening and it is clear the overwhelming majority of the fly tipped waste there could have been taken to the tip in Sittingbourne or Gillingham completely FREE OF CHARGE. There appears to be a small amount of soil and hardcore which would have cost just £4 to dispose legally of at Sittingbourne or would have been free to dispose of legally at Gillingham.

However, like the Parish Council I remain concerned, that the new charges may, against all the available evidence, lead to more fly tipping. KCC has, therefore, created an enforcement fund to work with Swale Council, the National Farmers Union (NFU) and the police to enforce against this illegal activity, much of which is being done by criminal gangs preying on otherwise law abiding householders. 

It must be remembered, that any householder whose rubbish ends up being fly tipped is liable to prosecution alongside the person doing the fly tipping, so everyone should check carefully that anyone they are paying to take their waste away has the relevant licence and provides the right paper work.

I met with the new Swale Council Leader to discuss fly tipping last week and have had conversations with the local NFU. I am meeting the Police and Crime Commissioner next week and have also written to the Chief Constable. Between us all we must find a way to catch and punish the criminals who are getting away with fly tipping, despoiling our countryside and costing law-abiding tax payers a fortune in clean up costs.
I have by way of this reply asked your Swale borough councillors to arrange for the waste to be disposed of and checked for any evidence that could lead to those involved being prosecuted and punished.”

Cllr Alan Horton

Swale Borough Councillor - Hartlip, Newington and Upchurch Ward

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