Tip booking system has 'worsened fly-tipping'

A council has been blamed for a 20% rise in cases of fly-tipping since it changed how residents dispose of waste last year.

Shropshire Council introduced a booking system for its five recycling centres on 4 November in an attempt to shave £200,000 from its waste disposal budget.

The decision was followed by a 25% reduction in the overall weight of items being dropped off at tips across the county in November.

The Conservative-run authority has strongly rejected a claim by opposition parties that the new booking system has led to more cases of fly-tipping.

Figures show 314 reports of fly-tipping were logged by the council between the beginning of October and the end of December.

It is a rise from 260 cases reported over the same period in 2023.

"If you make it harder for residents to access recycling centres, then we're much more likely to see rubbish end up in country lanes and market towns," said Liberal Democrat councillor Alex Wagner.

"My group is committed to abolishing the booking system altogether, with the addition of checking residency, to get numbers of fly-tipping down again, which is now the imperative task," he added.

In November, the overall tonnage of waste dropped off at Shropshire Council tips fell from 1,073 tonnes to 802, compared with the same month the previous year.

Whitchurch's recycling centre saw the largest reduction in weight, falling 45%.

More than 55,000 residents booked to use the recycling centres in November and December and only 22 residents have complained about the system, according to council figures.

"It's clear that we're achieving our goal of reducing the amount of trade waste and waste from outside Shropshire," said councillor Ian Nellins, the cabinet member in charge of waste management.

"There is no evidence to suggest that the increase in reports of fly-tipping is directly linked to the introduction of the booking system.

"In fact, in recent weeks we have been encouraging residents to report cases of fly-tipping so that we can ensure it is cleared up and that those responsible are held accountable," he said.

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