An increase in fly-tipping and littering in north Oxfordshire has led Cherwell District Council to issue a warning. 

The council is reminding residents that they could be fined for illegally dumping their waste, no matter how large or small the offence.

Two people were fined £1,000 for larger fly-tips, and in recent months the council issued fixed penalty notices from £250 to £500.

A company was also fined £300 for failing to provide a waste transfer note, a legal requirement for commercial waste.

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Councillor Rob Parkinson, Portfolio Holder for Safer Communities, said: “We all have a right to enjoy the settlements and countryside we call home. Fly-tipping and littering damage our environment and spoil things for us all.

“Most of us take pride in our neighbourhoods and dispose of our rubbish properly. But our good efforts are undermined by an irresponsible minority who dump their waste on roadside verges, down alleyways, and at recycling banks. The rubbish is expensive to clean up and these are costs that we all share.

“Our enforcement team always looks for evidence to identify the offenders, and our recent cases show they cannot count on getting away with it.”

Illegal waste disposal is an offence punishable by fixed penalty notices or prosecution in a magistrates’ or crown court.

The council are also reminding north Oxfordshire residents of the waste disposal options available to them. 

People can use the council’s bulky waste collection service, starting at £10.99 per item, and they can also hire supersized wheelie bins from Cherwell to help with major clear-outs.

They also can visit Oxfordshire County Council’s two household waste recycling centres in the district or use a licensed commercial waste service.

(Image: Cherwell District Council) If people decide to pay someone to remove waste, the council recommends checking the person is licensed. They can do this by searching the public register of waste carriers on the Environment Agency website.

Cherwell also provides business waste services. As part of this, businesses are provided with waste transfer notes to help them comply with the law.

Anyone with information about a fly-tip in the district should contact the council on 01295 227007.