Issue - meetings

This report presents the report of the task group which analysed the borough’s knowledge, behaviour and understanding of fly-tipping and reviewed local fly-tipping policies and processes of the council and its partner’s.

that the 26 recommendations made by the task group be approved support be extended to the development of an action plan across the council and partner organisations to take these forward.

Councillor Stopp, stated that this task group had been established by the Scrutiny Members in response to communicated concerns from Brent residents regarding increased fly-tipping levels.

The purpose of the task group was to analyse and understand the borough’s knowledge, behaviour and understanding of fly-tipping, and, to review local fly-tipping policies and processes of the council and its partners.

Councillor Stopp stated that the review was concerned with reducing the levels of fly-tipping in Brent and ensuring clean and safe environments for Brent residents; and as a result, a reduction in clean-up and enforcement costs. The review also focused on the borough priorities, such as working in partnership with citizens and building stronger resident’s and council relationships.

He stated that ‘making sure that Brent was an attractive place to live, with a pleasant environment, clean streets, well-cared for parks and green spaces’ was an objective within the Council’s Borough Plan. Ensuring that fly tipping was reduced and in the long term eradicated was a widely backed element within the context of our “Better Place” priorities.

Councillor Stopp stated that the review focussed on a top-to-bottom analysis of Brent Council’s internal and external processes for dealing with fly-tipping. Key areas of focus were agreed during the work of the task group, these included knowledge, education, enforcement, impact, publicity.

Councillor Stopp suggested the possible re-launch of the Cleaner Brent app.

Councillor Southwood, Cabinet Member for Environment, thanked Councillor Stopp and the task group members for their work and the final report. 

Councillor Stopp highlighted that the task group recommended that the term “Fly-tipping” should be changed to “Illegal Rubbish Dumping” (IRD) in communications with residents. Residents rarely refer to dumped rubbish as fly-tipping and there is apparently confusion among some residents about what “fly-tipping” actually meant.

Councillor Butt, Leader of the Council, thanked Councillor Stop for his work with the Task Group and praised the work of residents’ groups such as Keep Wembley Tidy which could be a model to adopt across the borough.

RESOLVED:

that the 26 recommendations made by the task group be approved support be extended to the development of an action plan across the council and partner organisations to take these forward.