Sefton Council lacks funds to tackle fly tipping problem

Sefton Council does not have the money to tackle the borough’s fly tipping woes, according to a council report released this week.

According to the report, which provides an update on recommendations made to deal with fly tipping and littering issues across Sefton, several of the actions recommended have not been carried out.

These recommendations include a “very significant increase” in enforcement officers, estimated to cost around £500k. According to the report there is however “no budgetary provision” which could cover that cost.

There is also no money available to carry out a recommendation for a high profile publicity campaign to go alongside the proposed increase in officers.

A recommendation to evaluate how additional enforcement could be “cost neutral” has not been carried out, although initial anlysis has found there is “insufficient scope” for this to occur, according to the report.

Two other recommendations relate to the duty of private and social landlords. The selective licensing scheme provides a means for sanction, according to the report, although the council would “firstly work informally with the licence holder to ensure compliance.”

One of the action points, relating to urging social landlords to take action against tenants who dump has been carried out, according to the report, noting coordinated action taking place in the Peel Road area of Bootle to address some of the alleyway dumping issues there.

The report is due to be discussed at a meeting of Sefton Council’s regeneration and skills overview and scrutiny committee, which will be held at Southport Town Hall next Wednesday, September 28.