ADEPT’s response to Defra’s fly-tipping consultation - councils cannot afford this unnecessary change
Steve Palfrey, Chair of ADEPT's Waste Board said: "ADEPT is seriously concerned about the unintended consequences that this proposal could have on delivering local services for residents, as it means that councils could have to fund DIY projects waste disposal at the expense of supporting vulnerable communities and individuals most in need.
"Council finances are stretched beyond breaking point with rising inflation bringing even more pressure on local authority budgets. The recent WRAP report shows that there is no correlation between fly tipping and charging for non-statutory waste – the components of most fly tips could have been disposed of for free if taken to a Household Waste Recycling Centre. ADEPT wishes to work with government to discourage fly tipping, which is a criminal activity, but this is not the answer and is simply one that local councils cannot afford to bear. Additional funding from government for local authorities will be essential if these proposals go ahead.
"The timing of the announcement is of real concern. Many councils will feel unable to comment on this due to the government’s own rules on how we have to behave during the pre-election period, so this pays lip service to the notion of meaningful consultation."