Fly Tipping Fund

Fly tipping on Private Land Pilot Fund

The Police and Crime Commissioner (PCC) recognises that a large proportion of fly tipping happens on private lane or  ‘in the margins’ between public and private land, so is therefore not often covered by councils’ normal removal and disposal of waste.

The fund was set up as the PCC believes it is not right that businesses who are victim of fly tipping do not have the opportunity to have waste removed in the same way and are liable to pick up the costs.

In August 2018 the PCC introduced the Fly Tipping on Private Land Fund to clear and dispose of waste left on private land as well as providing advice and help to improve security.

Given the success of the pilot, the fund has been in operation since 2018 and the PCC has committed funding towards it for 2023/24.

Preventing victimisation

The aim of the fund supports waste clearance but also has a strong area of focus on early intervention and prevention.

In line with the Prevention First approach, the PCC is keen to support landowners and farmers by offering crime prevention advice in order to look for opportunities to minimise repeat victimisation and match fund target hardening efforts.

The PCC is also keen for all intelligence opportunities to be exploited and pursued to assist in pursuing criminal prosecutions.

If the tipper can be identified, or the household or business from where the waste originated, they can be prosecuted which does allow the courts to imprison, fine, order compensation for waste removal and seize the vehicles used to tip.

With the landowner’s permission, specialist Police Officers from the Rural Operational Safety Team (ROST) will ensure intelligence opportunities are gathered at the scene before a clearance.

They will also carry out a Crime Prevention Assessment and make recommendations for target hardening opportunities to secure the land. The PCC will match fund target hardening measures with the landowner.

Eligibility criteria

• As a general rule, private landowners are eligible for one clearance.
• Private landowners are eligible to benefit for the scheme if they have a contract in place to cover the collection and / or disposal of agricultural and other commercial waste arising from commercial farming operations.
• Unregistered land may only receive funding for one clearance per location. If an organisation is willing to target harden unregistered land, the PCC may consider match funding measures for unregistered land to support the effort to prevent further criminality.
• The fund is not available for private parks and estates.
• Funds are used flexibly across all local authority areas involved, rather than split equally to enable sufficient flexibility should one area spend more than the other during the pilot.

How to apply

The OPCC works with local authorities to identify eligible landowners to support. All districts have agreed to be part of the fund.

To apply for a fly tipped waste clearance as well as advice and help with security, please contact your local district / borough council.