A NEW weapon could soon tip the balance in the fight against illegal rubbish dumpers who have long blighted a south Cumbrian town.

Thanks to new legislation, enforcement officers working for Barrow Borough Council will be granted powers to issue spot fines of £400 to people caught fly-tipping.

It is hoped this new measure will cut down the number of offenders and send a clear message that dumping rubbish will not be tolerated.

Councillor Brendan Sweeney, who sits on the council's executive committee said: "It's new legislation that allows us to give a fixed penalty to fly-tippers. We now need to adapt it into our own legislation."

In May 2016 the Environmental Protection Act 1990 was amended to grant councils the power to fine small-scale fly-tippers between £150 and £400.

Cllr Sweeney said: "We're going for the maximum limit, it is a problem and it really annoys people. Most people are great, but they are fed up with people dumping stuff."

Let us know what you think about the plan to fine fly-tippers in Barrow

There was outrage in Barrow when a mountain of filth and rubbish accumulated at a local recycling centre over Christmas.

Forty one offenders were investigated by the council and could face prosecution at magistrates' court.
Because of the expensive and time consuming process of taking someone to court, it was often the case the council would lose money through prosecution.

A council report said cases cost between £500 and £1,500, it said: "costs awarded to the council on conviction rarely cover the full costs incurred."

The proposal will go before the full council in March, and if passed, the new powers will immediately go into force.

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