DUMPED rubbish is on the rise in Wokingham.
Borough residents are being urged to ensure their rubbish is disposed of legally, as the council reports an increase in fly-tipping.
Wokingham Borough Council has seen a 79% increase in fly-tipping incidents over the past year.
During the early stages of the coronavirus pandemic, the re3 recycling centres were closed before reopening with a booking system.
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With 1,298 cases of dumped rubbish in 2019/20, the council reports there has already been 2,324 incidents for 2020/21, a year-on-year increase.
The council prosecutes just 0.87% of these fly tippers having issued 53 fines this year compared to 47 fines last year.
This 12.77% increase in fines shows that the council have been tracking down the offenders.
Actively investigating approximately 40% of incidents in the borough, the Wokingham Borough Council explained they are addressing the issue.
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Cllr Parry Batth, executive member for leisure and environment, said: “We are actively tackling the issue of fly-tipping across our borough and continue to crackdown on this criminal activity.
“Sadly, we have seen an uptick in incidents since the pandemic started and the data indicates that this issue is not unique to our borough, although we remain below the national average.”
The council recently launched a scheme where residents who report incidents that lead to successful prosecution can receive a gift card reward.
Residents are encouraged to let the council know if they have seen anything to help with their investigations.
Cllr Batth added that the council are “continuing to tackle” the criminal activity with the help
of some recent funding they received.
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He said: “We have purchased four additional portable CCTV cameras which we rotate around hotspots across the borough, helping us catch offenders red handed.
“In addition, we’ve also launched our Recognise It, Report It scheme, where we are offering a £100 gift card to residents who provide us with information that leads us to a successful prosecution.”
Residents working to keep the borough clean have been praised.
“We are incredibly proud of our residents having witnessed a huge increase in community support for clearing litter and rubbish through our Adopt a Street programme and this scheme had doubled in size over the past year with our 400 streets signed up,” Cllr Batth said.
“We also know there is further community involvement, more streets and individuals doing similar clean-ups either on their own or through their local town or parish council.”
Cllr Batth wants residents to use the re3 waste recycling centres.
He added: “We urge everyone to dispose of their waste responsibly, this includes using registered waste removal companies and making the most of our re3 tips in Bracknell and Reading which have slots available each day.”
To report a fly tipping incident, visit wokingham.gov.uk/roadworks-and-outdoor-maintenance/fly-tipping
