Decision details

RESOLVED that: -

(a)           Cabinet approves the commencement of a 12-month pilot scheme to deploy a suitable qualified contractor to undertake investigations and prosecutions of fly-tipping and fly-posting incidents;

(b)           Cabinet agrees to receive a further report following 6 months of this pilot, which will include recommendations for the future of this service; and

(c)           Cabinet approves the levels of fines for relevant offences as per paragraph 10.

Voting: Unanimous

Portfolio Holder: Community Safety

Reason

The responsibility for enforcing against enviro-crime issues such as those in scope for this pilot were carried out by different departments in legacy BCP authorities with limited resources. Poole and Christchurch issued fines for a minimal number of incidents; however no prosecutions were undertaken from 2017 to 2019 according to returns submitted to National Government.

Since Local Government Re-organisation, officers within Regulatory Services have only been able to carry out limited investigations due to lack of available resources and the need to prioritise other statutory demands. This proposal will allow the Council to access additional resource and should facilitate a more consistent, robust and thorough response to all relevant incidents.

The cost of the proposed pilot is to be paid for by the Council out of fines received and will therefore be undertaken at no additional cost to the Council.

If the pilot is approved by Cabinet, the company will be ready to start in July 2021 providing the contract can be signed off within that time.