Incidents of Environmental crime are rising in the borough of Waverley.

Between April 2021 and March 2022, there were a reported 755 incidents of fly-tipping, 258 instances of littering, and 183 abandoned vehicles, 9 of which had to be scrapped. This cost taxpayers in Waverley an eyewatering £500,000 a year in waste removal clearance.

Waverley Borough Council is cracking down on perpetrators to combat the rise in environmental crime. It is implementing preventative measures such as additional CCTV usage and increasing investment in its environmental enforcement team.

The council is also taking a “Zero-tolerance approach” and is committed to investigating, clearing, and, where possible, prosecuting every case. It issues fixed penalty notices of up to £400 where applicable. It is up to the council’s discretion whether to prosecute through the courts, where fines of up to £50,000 (unlimited in the Crown Court) can be imposed or even a custodial sentence.

Waverley’s Head of Environmental and Regulatory Services, Richard Homewood, said

“Our key focus is ensuring our residents have a wide range of options available to dispose of their waste legally. Where individuals choose to ignore these resources, we have a zero-tolerance approach; our enforcement officers will investigate every instance of unlawful waste disposal and issue fixed penalty notices swiftly.

“However, we are also calling on our residents to help. I strongly urge anyone who sees someone dumping rubbish not to hesitate to contact us online or by calling our team and reporting it. Waverley is one of the cleanest and greenest boroughs in England, and we believe that with your help, the measures we are taking will help ensure that it stays that way.”

Seen any incidents of fly-tipping? Visit Waverley Borough Council’s dedicated page to Report fly-tipping or dumped rubbish. Or call 01483 523524.

If residents would like to have their bulky waste collected, they can visit the council’s Bulky waste collections webpage.