Council crackdown on people dumping rubbish on streets

A fine of more than £2,422 was given to a Bacup man found guilty of leaving waste outside his house.

Nicholas Turner, of Springfield Avenue, Bacup, was found guilty of failing to remove bags of rubbish, furniture and wood from outside his home, which had the potential to attract rats and vermin, and also of failing to take all necessary action to prevent new accumulations of rubbish between 25^th October 2018 and 20^th December 2018.

Turner was charged by Rossendale Borough Council under Section 4 of the Prevention of Damage by Pests Act 1949. He did not attend court.

He incurred a £220 fine, £150 legal costs, £430.50 investigation costs and was ordered to pay £1,621.85 in compensation.

A Bacup resident, Claire Haney, was also fined by the Council in a separate case. She pleaded guilty of failing to remove bags of rubbish, a mattress and general waste between 29^th December 2018 and 15^th January 2019

Haney, of Rose Bank Street, Bacup, did not attend to be sentenced but told the court via letter that her wheelie bin kept getting stolen and she has health issues and small children. She apologised for not clearing the rubbish.

She was given a £40 fine and ordered to pay £71.94 compensation.

Rossendale Borough Council also prosecuted Thomas Loveday of Co-operation Street, Rawtenstall,, who did not attend Court. He was found guilty of abandoning a Vauxhall Corsa on the street on 24^th January 2019, contrary to Section 2 of the Refuse Disposal (Amenity) Act 1978.

He was given a £220 fine and ordered to pay £150 legal costs, £420 investigation costs and £225 compensation.

Councillor Jackie Oakes, Portfolio Holder for Operations, said:

People who dump rubbish on Rossendale’s streets are creating an eyesore in our borough and creating a drain on our resources as it has to be cleared up. It is money that we would much rather be spent in vital areas to help people.

I am pleased at these fines and I hope they will serve as a deterrent to these people not to do this again, and show to our residents that we will not tolerate this kind of mess on our streets. We will take legal action where appropriate. I would like to thank the council officers who worked hard to clean up these messes and to bring the offenders to court.”

People can report waste on public or private land online or by phoning 01706 217777 option 3.