Rubbish excuses don’t stack up: £1,648 fine handed out
Telford & Wrekin Council has prosecuted resident Ms McCollum, for not disposing of her waste responsibly by allowing someone else to dump it on council-owned land.
The case was heard at Telford Magistrates’ Court Monday, (15 Dec) where Ms McCollum entered a guilty plea. Householders must ensure their waste is only given to an authorised person – this is called 'Duty of Care' and failing to follow it led to Ms McCollum’s prosecution.
Ms McCollum told the court that she believed the land formed part of her property boundary. However, she later confirmed that the Council maintained the grass in the area and that she regularly disposed of cardboard in this way claiming that her recycling bags only get stolen.
The magistrates found Ms McCollum’s actions to be deliberate.
The court imposed a fine, ordered that Ms McCollum pay prosecution costs and a Victim Surcharge, all totalling £1,648.
Councillor Richard Overton, Deputy Leader and Cabinet Member for Highways, Housing and Enforcement said: “Duty of Care matters because it helps keep our neighbourhoods clean and safe, protecting the environment and ensuring everyone can enjoy shared spaces.
“It’s also a legal requirement, ignoring it can lead to prosecution, heavy fines, and a criminal record.
“This prosecution demonstrates our commitment to tackling environmental crime and ensuring that those who deliberately flout the law are held accountable.”
Residents are reminded that there are legal and convenient ways to dispose of waste:
- Use your household waste and recycling collections as scheduled.
- Take larger items or excess waste to the Council’s Household Recycling Centres at Hortonwood and Halesfield, open daily 9am–5pm (except Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Year’s Day).
- Arrange a bulky waste collection through the Council if you have large household items to dispose of.
- Report fly‑tipping confidentially online at www.telford.gov.uk/flytipping or by calling the confidential hotline on 01952 388 800.
This case forms part of Telford & Wrekin Council’s wider efforts to protect communities and public resources as part of the Winter of Action campaign which tackles anti-social behaviour, retail crime, and safety in town centres.
The Council continues to crack down on fly-tipping. The reflects its zero-tolerance approach to wrongdoing and its commitment to keeping Telford and Wrekin cleaner, greener and safer.