Agenda item

Councillor John McElroy moved the following amendment:

Delete all after ‘Gateshead Council’ and replace with:

notes that:

According to figures provided by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the number of fly-tipping incidents in Gateshead roughly halved between 2016/17 and 2021/22 and wishes to express its gratitude to the hard-working staff who help tackle the blight of fly-tipping.

In the last two years the Council have undertaken a review of waste related anti-social behaviour to try and understand the root cause of the behaviour of those who aren’t looking after their environment. We have used those findings to come up with a new approach to tackle fly tipping.

In recent years, officers have focused enforcement action on larger fly-tipping offenders, people who persistently target Gateshead and who make a living from doing so. The penalties that may be charged under Fixed Penalty Notices are too small to deter such behaviour, and it is preferable to take legal action where more substantial penalties may be levied. To only look at the number of Fixed Penalty Notices does not present a true picture of action taken by Council officers.

Experience and Council research has shown that the people who would have got Fixed Penalty Notices for small fly tips were often vulnerable people, who needed help and support to permanently change their behaviour. Fining these people was proving ineffective in behaviour change, and we found alternative mechanisms for ensuring our streets remained as clean and tidy as possible.

Gateshead Council takes this issue very seriously and as part of the £2 million investment in the local environment are in the process of setting up a new anti-social behaviour team, that will work with people to educate and change behaviours where appropriate and prosecute and fine those who persistently fail to do the right thing.

Gateshead Council resolves to ignore representations on this matter from Lib Dem Councillors who failed to support a £2 million investment in the local environment when presented with the option in the Budget decisions.

The substantive motion was defeated.

On the amendment being put it was duly carried.

COUNCIL RESOLVED:

Delete all after ‘Gateshead Council’ and replace with:

notes that:

According to figures provided by the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, the number of fly-tipping incidents in Gateshead roughly halved between 2016/17 and 2021/22 and wishes to express its gratitude to the hard-working staff who help tackle the blight of fly-tipping.

In the last two years the Council have undertaken a review of waste related anti-social behaviour to try and understand the root cause of the behaviour of those who aren’t looking after their environment. We have used those findings to come up with a new approach to tackle fly tipping.

In recent years, officers have focused enforcement action on larger fly-tipping offenders, people who persistently target Gateshead and who make a living from doing so. The penalties that may be charged under Fixed Penalty Notices are too small to deter such behaviour, and it is preferable to take legal action where more substantial penalties may be levied. To only look at the number of Fixed Penalty Notices does not present a true picture of action taken by Council officers.

Experience and Council research has shown that the people who would have got Fixed Penalty Notices for small fly tips were often vulnerable people, who needed help and support to permanently change their behaviour. Fining these people was proving ineffective in behaviour change, and we found alternative mechanisms for ensuring our streets remained as clean and tidy as possible.

Gateshead Council takes this issue very seriously and as part of the £2 million investment in the local environment are in the process of setting up a new anti-social behaviour team, that will work with people to educate and change behaviours where appropriate and prosecute and fine those who persistently fail to do the right thing.

Gateshead Council resolves to ignore representations on this matter from Lib Dem Councillors who failed to support a £2 million investment in the local environment when presented with the option in the Budget decisions.