Flytipping woes

djdust

Well I toned down the response and sent it anyway. Got a reply back that included this:

I will reiterate to you that we as a Council cannot go onto private land to remove rubbish, that would be classed as trespass, I am unsure who, why or when the Council removed waste previously dumped on your land as I work on enforcement and not the street cleaning team, so it would be impossible for me to answer that particular question, what I would advise is if you have waste at the rear of your property not on your land if you contact the Council and advise where this rubbish is then we would respond.

I am afraid a NHS number or even a name and address taken from waste in itself is not definitive evidence only an indicator where this waste may have originated.

I think it's time to give up on this numpty. I guess I'll start again and report the "excess" rubbish that's on the actual street, not on my "private property" that the council "aren't allowed to trespass on" (give me strength). Thanks for all the other advice about tidying up the back. I'll look into it as soon as time permits.

EssexExile

I am unsure who, why or when the Council removed waste previously dumped on your land as I work on enforcement and not the street cleaning team

And I couldn't possibly walk down the corridor & ask them!

Dan-Dan

I wonder if `Paul` knows quite how (in)famous he is!

discat11

Frankly I am appalled at SBC's attitude.
I can understand their viewpoint but don't really accept it.

I've thought about what I would do in that situation and have to admit (rather shamefaced too somewhat) that I'd probably just dump it somewhere the council would pick it up from and suspect that a great deal of your neighbours would do exactly the same, and that's from someone who could easily shift it or pay for it to be shifted too -the principle is all wrong IMHO.
I'll admit to dumping my rubbish outside their offices when they neglected to pick it up & refused to return to get it either one week many years ago.
£1000 council tax? kerr-ching! do something for it? errr.........

Of course now the council have you on their radar you don't have that option.

Whilst the land may be yours legally why on earth would a garage door in a midden alley go right into the alley? -you wouldn't be able to then use it as a garage as you'd never turn a vehicle in surely?

The council have clearly seized on the fact that some of the rubbish is on your land rather gleefully here IMHO and absolved themselves of any responsibility with a couldn't care less attitude to your own ability to do anything about it.

I had an issue with neighbour ruining a grass verge outside my house parking ruddy great 4x4's on it and a circular email went to & from the council to no avail despite promises over a 2 year period before I lost my patience and contacted a local councillor -it was fixed in less than 2 weeks with bollards.

I can only agree that a local councillor is the best way forward they will have connections you don't have (and probably don't want anyway) and if you get their help you'll find the situation will resolve itself quickly.
Otherwise as large a CCTV notice as possible (and a £10 fake CCTV camera perhaps?) will work wonders.

Good luck.

djdust

Still haven't had chance to contact local councillor yet (it's been an insane few weeks) but have exchanged these quick mails in the last week, firstly with "Paul":

Hello Mr Dust,
I will reiterate to you that we as a Council cannot go onto private land to remove rubbish, that would be classed as trespass, I am unsure who, why or when the Council removed waste previously dumped on your land as I work on enforcement and not the street cleaning team, so it would be impossible for me to answer that particular question, what I would advise is if you have waste at the rear of your property not on your land if you contact the Council and advise where this rubbish is then we would respond.
I can confirm that waste dumped on private property in this case on your property becomes the owners responsibility to dispose of legally, this is the law, not Swindon Borough Council legislation.
I do understand the problems caused by mindless people who think they can dump waste wherever they want, I deal with these people on a daily basis and I do take fly-tipping very seriously, we are bound by the same laws as everyone else and we enforce wherever and whenever we receive evidence of fly-tipping, I am afraid a NHS number or even a name and address taken from waste in itself is not definitive evidence only an indicator where this waste may have originated.
If you would like signs to put up at the rear of your property I would be more than willing to have these dropped off to your address, please advise.
Kind Regards
Paul

At this point, I figured there was no point talking to this idiot anymore and did a "Reply To All" with all the people he CC'd in and sent this back:

I've decided there's no point taking to Mr Sarahs anymore as his replies are just becoming completely farcical.


>> I will reiterate to you that we as a Council cannot go onto private land to remove rubbish, that would be classed as trespass

The Council *has* multiple times over the last decade come onto "my property" (something I'm still very much disputing - as far as I'm concerned, the border of "my property" is my back gate and door of my garage) and removed the waste that's been dumped there. I am more than happy for the council to continue to do so and I do not, for one second, consider it any form of "trespass" in the slightest. What a ridiculous thing to write, another example of Paul fobbing me off and denying for the umpteenth time that the council has easily removed waste in the past.


>> what I would advise is if you have waste at the rear of your property not on your land if you contact the Council
>> and advise where this rubbish is then we would respond.

I *AM* contacting the council. I'm talking to Paul, you and the multiple people CC'd into this message and telling you exactly where the rubbish is. Just to be crystal clear, this is rubbish that I've started very clearly is on the *public lane* and not on "my property" . Is it so difficult for Paul or anyone else to forward messages onto whoever it needs to go to to send someone to come and remove it? For the umpteenth time, I *cannot* remove it myself and there is nothing I can do about it. Can you please do something to help me out with this situation that is now driving me mad with worry???

Thanks

I got this back from someone called "Rachel":

Thank you for your email and whilst I sympathise with the predicament that you find yourself in, Paul is correct in his assertion that the council will not remove fly tipping from private property. You will appreciate that the council, like yourself, has limited funds and resources and therefore must direct these funds and resources to meet our statutory duties. The council is facing savings of £20 million a year for the next 3 years and therefore many of the “goodwill gestures” that we have been able to accommodate from time to time are no longer available to us.

The council is therefore unable to remove this fly-tipping from your land and you will need to find an alternate means of disposal.

Your case will now be closed.

Well, ta for that. I replied:

Rachel, thank you for your curt response. Im afraid the rubbish will have to remain where it is then as I'm unable to perform miracles with no money. You still haven't answered my point about what is going to happen about the rubbish that is very firmly not on "my property" and not my responsibility. Are you goIng to forward this to the correct team to deal with, or shall I just start again from scratch and send an email to the StreetSmart team? Regards,

Awaiting response....

lesta_jesta

I note that Paul quoted something in relation to Swindon Borough Council so I assume that you are located in Swindon (Sherlock who!)

Here is a link to Swindon Borough Council website planning portal
where a map is available to locate planning applications. You should be able use the map to zoom into your property and may be able to see if there is any indication where the boundary to your your property is. I am unsure as to the accuracy of the map or the legality of the lines upon it, however it may be of some use to you. Good luck

djdust

I've checked the "boundary" already, it's basically what they say, the patch of concrete out the back *is* mine and then the public lane isn't. No point in me contesting it too much (though I'm certainly not going to fully admit it to them either).

lesta_jesta

If the fly tipping is as persistent as you say, have that conversation with your local Councillor and ask him to see if the council will fit covert camera to catch the tippers.

dbriggs

Get a camera, it'll be cheaper than paying any fines

wealdroam

lesta_jesta wrote: »

If the fly tipping is as persistent as you say, have that conversation with your local Councillor and ask him to see if the council will fit covert camera to catch the tippers.

With respect, you are wasting your time suggesting the OP contacts their local councillor.

That suggestion was first made on this thread on 1st June last year, i.e over eight months ago, and the OP has not yet managed to find the time to do that.