Politics & Council · Swindon
Swindon resident fined after fly-tipped waste traced back to home renovation
By Swindon Now Editorial Team · Published
A Swindon resident has been hit with a £600 fine after waste from a house renovation was found dumped on a roadside verge near Lydiard Park.
A local resident has been ordered to pay a £600 fixed penalty notice after waste they had paid to have removed was discovered fly-tipped near Lydiard Park. The rubbish, which had been dumped in two separate piles on a roadside verge in the Lydiard Tregoze area, was traced back to the resident by Wiltshire Council following an investigation.
The individual involved had been in the process of moving out of a previous home and carrying out renovations at the time. According to the council, the resident had taken steps to manage their waste appropriately by hiring skips and transporting some items to a recycling centre. However, they opted to hire an external service to dispose of additional materials.
The resident admitted to council investigators that they failed to verify whether the individual they hired was an authorised waste carrier, and they did not request any documentation for the service. Under law, residents are responsible for ensuring that their household waste is disposed of correctly by registered professionals.
Councillor Martin Smith, Wiltshire Council's Cabinet member for streetscene, stressed that the case serves as a warning for others to perform simple checks before handing over waste. He advised that residents should always confirm a collector is a registered waste carrier, obtain a receipt for the service, and keep a record of the vehicle's registration details.
Failing to conduct these basic checks can result in the homeowner being held liable for any fly-tipping that follows, leading to enforcement action against the original owner of the waste. Residents looking to verify a service or check disposal requirements can find further information on the Wiltshire Council website.
Source: Swindon Advertiser - Politics · View original