Fly-tipping is costing Oxford's taxpayers £447 a day, yet none of the culprits have been caught, the city council has revealed.

The council received reports of 1,407 cases of fly-tipping in a five-month period over the summer. It is estimated the cost to the taxpayer of clearing up the mess is more than £68,000.

The worst-hit area is the north east of the city, where 543 incidents of fly-tipping were reported between April 1 and August 31.

But the worst single ward was Blackbird Leys and Northfield Brook, which suffered 229 incidents in the five months. It is the first time the city council has compiled the statistics by ward.

So far this year, the council has not prosecuted anyone for fly-tipping. However, Jean Fooks, the executive member for a cleaner city, said the council was in the process of taking four businesses to court for fly-tipping.

Figures released in April revealed reports of fly-tipping in the county had increased rose by 60 per cent inside a year.

Blackbird Leys Parish Council has been running a 'Keep Blackbird Leys Tidy' campaign to try to tackle the problem in its area.

Chairman Brian Lester said: "Unless they can catch the perpetrators doing it, then there's nothing they can do.

"Unless people are educated that they shouldn't really do it, nothing is going to happen and until people start getting a sense of responsibility and thinking 'what can I do?' instead of 'what can they the council do?', we will be lost.

"People's attitudes need to change, so they think what they can do to stop living in a pigsty. It's unbelievable to think what that money could be spent on."

In the latest reported incident, soil and bricks were dumped at the Regal Community Centre, in Cowley, on Thursday, threatening the postponment of a diversity party held yesterday to celebrate different cultures in Oxford. The event went ahead after City Works staff cleared the waste.

The area around the community centre is often used to dump illegal waste.

Cowley councillor Sajjad Malik said: "We must educate people. This figure of more than 1,400 is frightening.

"It's the council's responsibility, because fly-tipping is so common now we need to work with landlords, tenants and building firms and educate them into knowing the right ways to get rid of all this rubbish."

The wards with the fewest incidents are Holywell, St Margaret's and Summertown.

Ms Fooks said: "I know we have some prosecutions in the pipeline for fly-tipping.

"The statistics themselves don't indicate a major increase in fly-tipping incidents, but they give a detailed breakdown for each area, which will be passed to area committees on a quarterly basis.

"We can now use the detailed information to target areas where problems are developing.

"Any major breaches of the law will be dealt with by our environmental health team."

Rubbish and household waste can be tipped free of charge at the county council-run recycling at Redbridge, off Abingdon Road, which is open seven days a week from 8am to 5pm.

The city council will collect large items free of charge from the doorstep. For details, call 01865 242936.

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