Ribble Valley residents asked for views on use of CCTV to catch fly tippers
The Ribble Valley Borough Council wants to hear your views
Ribble Valley Borough Council has launched a public consultation into whether it should use CCTV cameras to catch offenders at known fly-tipping “hot spots” in the borough.
The CCTV cameras, which can be moved around to where needed, would only be used for the prevention, detection, and investigation of fly tipping offences. Any evidence captured may be shared with other appropriate authorities, such as the police and Environment Agency, and used to support enforcement action and the prosecution of individuals responsible for illegal waste dumping.
The survey, which will run until Sunday, August 23rd, takes only a few minutes to complete, is aimed at gathering local people’s views on introducing such a scheme.
Councillor Mark Hindle, chairman of the council’s health and housing committee, said: “Ribble Valley is known for its beautiful countryside but, like everywhere else across Britain, the area experiences issues with environmental crime, particularly fly tipping.
“Rubbish is regularly dumped illegally in rural locations, lay-bys and on highway verges, resulting in significant clean-up costs that are ultimately borne by local taxpayers.
“We’re constantly fighting a battle to keep our communities clean and tidy. Using CCTV in spots where we know there is repeated dumping of rubbish could help us catch those responsible, as well as being a deterrent to fly-tipping in the first place. They will also help us protect the local environment.”
The results of the survey will be considered by councillors before a decision is made on whether or not to use cameras to crackdown on fly tipping in the borough. If you wish to share your views with the council, you can fill out the survey here.