Paisley Southwest Councillor reveals over 7,000 fly-tipping reports in Renfrewshire

Renfrewshire Liberal Democrat Councillor, Anne Hannigan has called for measures to help those whose properties bear the brunt of fly-tipping clear up the mess after Scottish Liberal Democrat research revealed that 7,267 fly-tipping reports were made to Renfrewshire Council since 2019/20.
 

Freedom of information requests submitted by the Scottish Liberal Democrats to Renfrewshire Council revealed:

• 7,267 fly-tipping incidents were reported between 2019/20 and 2022/23.
• Of these, only 166 fixed penalty notices were issued.    

Councillor Hannigan said:      

“Fly-tippers are increasingly brazen. From back lanes to main roads Renfrewshire is blighted by other people’s rubbish.    

“It’s ugly, dirty and smelly, yet only a tiny fraction of cases in Renfrewshire ever result in a fine or a trip to court.

“I am relieved that, after years of pressure from the Liberal Democrats, the government has finally increased the level of fines available. However, there is still a fundamental unfairness in the system which leaves farmers and other owners in Renfrewshire with the responsibility for clearing up waste dumped on their properties.    

“More needs to be done to clamp down on this disgusting behaviour and to ensure that repeat offenders feel the full force of the law.

“Alongside a robust fixed penalty system, Liberal Democrats want to see the introduction of a new restitution order, enabling the courts to require contributions from offenders to clean up their mess. These contributions could then go towards a new national fund which would help support farmers and all those who bear the brunt of fly-tipping in Renfrewshire.”