Boston borough records the highest number of fly-tipping cases in the county

New figures show that Boston borough has the highest number of reported fly-tipping cases in the county - with three times more than East Lindsey.
Boston borough is the worst area in Lincolnshire for reported fly-tipping cases. Photo by Wyberton Wombles.Boston borough is the worst area in Lincolnshire for reported fly-tipping cases. Photo by Wyberton Wombles.
Boston borough is the worst area in Lincolnshire for reported fly-tipping cases. Photo by Wyberton Wombles.

The area has seen a surge in such incidents since 2019 - with fly-tipping having increased by 166% during the pandemic.

Despite the efforts of Boston Borough Council to tackle the issue - the message doesn’t seem to be getting across.

Now new figures show that from 2020-2021 the authority recorded some 3,316 cases - in comparison to neighbouring East Lindsey’s 1,104.

The borough is approximately 140 square miles - while East Lindsey covers 700 square miles.

Recent estimates by the Office for National Statistics (ONS) also suggest Boston borough has half the population size of East Lindsey.

Boston does not fair well against the rest of the county either - with significantly more incidents in the same year compared to the city of Lincoln - which recorded 1,517. Similarly, North Kesteven’s figure was 1,537, South Kesteven’s was 1,399 and West Lindsey recorded 2,901.

Boston’s figure is a significant rise from the previous year - when the borough recorded some 1,245 cases of fly-tipping in 2019-2020 - a 166% rise.

According to the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), fly-tipping is on the rise across the East Midlands - with a total of 90,479 fly-tipping incidents were recorded across the region in 2020/21, up from 75,081 during the previous 12 months. Incidents on agricultural land increased, year-on-year, from 272 to 499.

There were 64 agricultural incidents in Boston borough alone, while a staggering 510 involved fly-tipping on Boston’s waterways.

Disturbingly, the borough recorded 29 cases of fly-tipped ‘animal carcasses’, and seven asbestos incidents in the same year.

Boston Borough Council has been actvely fining residents for fly-tipping offences, regularly posting these via their Facebook account.

Asked what is is doing to tackle the issue, a council spokesman said: “We do a considerable amount of work around education and awareness raising, including delivering leaflets to every household within the borough annually, specifically around environmental crime. We have run campaigns using the Hertfordshire SCRAP fly-tipping branding and materials over the past few years and have installed signage and banners around the borough.

“We also last year send a leaflet out to all of our residents in the borough in with their council tax bills.

“The council is also extremely proactive around waste management and recycling, we work closely with landlords and letting agents and produce leaflets in eight different languages.

“We have an internal cross departmental group that meet fortnightly and has been successful in jointly tackling waste issues. Included in the group are Housing, Operational Services, Environmental Health, Planning Enforcement and Environmental Crime Enforcement.

“The council has worked with the Environment Agency, DVSA, police and Revenue and Customs on Operation Clean Sweep, stopping vehicles in various locations. Our enforcement team checked for waste carriers licenses, illegal waste transfer and commercial and householders Duty of Care.

“Boston Borough Council has a good and effective reporting system. In addition to reactive fly tipping collection the crew work in a proactive way patrolling hot spots and collecting fly-tipping before it is reported.

“We also collect on behalf of a collective/partnership of other agencies including the Environment Agency, Drainage Boards and Social Housing Providers.”

Speaking about the detrimental impact of fly-tipping, the spokesman said: “There are a number of knock on issues associated with fly-tipping. These include a threat to humans and wildlife, damage to our environment, spoils our enjoyment of towns and the countryside, and encourages infestation of vermin. Areas subject to repeated fly-tipping could also see a decline in property prices.”

They added: “We encourage everyone within our community to report fly tipping as soon as they see it.

“The Wyberton Wombles have been an enormous help reporting any they come across.”

Steve Slater from Wyberton Wombles said he felt cases of fly-tipping could be reduced if the county council-run tip was more accessible, and if landlords took more responsibility for their tenants.

“I think the tip should be open seven days a week with summer and winter opening hours, and two late night openings at least (8pm),” he said. “It should be open until 6pm every night in the summer.

Landlords should be made accountable for their residents using the bin recycling correctly, such as checking their tenants are recycling properly. Landlords should be fined if this doesn’t happen and made to pay for extra bins when the number of tenants warrants extra bin capacity too.”

Offering other suggestions, he added: “Within planning applications there should be a maintenance contract to maintain those areas which include shrubbery, trees, footpaths on a yearly basis so areas don’t become overgrown.

“When it comes to fining people for fly-tipping, if all the facilities are in place to dispose of rubbish legally, and they still fly tip, then fines should be increased and people made to pay them, as I believe fines are not being paid. “Another idea is lay-bys should be sponsored (like the roundabouts) and the revenue used to keep the layby clean and tidy.”

He added: “Local Councillors should be out and about walking their areas as you can’t see how bad the rubbish is unless you get out of your car and view it close up!”

To report a fly-tip call the council on 01205 314200 or visit their website.