Sefton Council is once again leading the fight against fly-tipping in the borough with a combination of strong enforcement, clean-ups and partnership working.  

Successful investigation and prosecution 

A major fly-tipping incident at St John’s Road Industrial Estate, Bootle, led to a lengthy multi-agency investigation.

It brought together Sefton Council services, Merseyside Police, Liverpool City Council and the landowner to clear the site, fine the offenders and ensure it is secured against future illegal dumping.  

This is alongside the successful prosecution of a 25-year-old woman who had paid someone to illegally dump her waste in an alley at the side of Benedict Street in Bootle. 

Extra funding delivering results 

Councillor Peter Harvey, Cabinet Member for Cleansing and Street Scene, said:  “The Council has invested an extra £1 million in cleaner streets, and our approach to tackling fly-tipping is continuing to gain momentum and deliver strong results. 

“We have almost tripled the size of our Environmental Enforcement Team. The team’s members are working every day alongside our Waste Management and Street Cleansing teams to investigate fly-tipping, take action against offenders and keep Sefton cleaner. 

“This action demonstrates our commitment to making Sefton a cleaner, better place to live. While fly-tipping remains a national challenge, our investment, enforcement activity and partnership working are making a real difference for local residents.” 

Removing waste and issuing fines 

In January, Environmental Enforcement officers and Street Cleansing teams investigated fly-tipping at St John’s Road Industrial Estate, removing almost a tonne of waste from a public footpath. 

The clearance was carried out in addition to the teams’ regular work which sees them removing around 15 tonnes of fly-tipped waste from rear entries across Sefton each week. Alongside this, they deal with privately maintained alleys in partnership with Community Payback. 

The St John’s Road investigation has led to several £500 fixed penalty notices being issued. Further individuals have been invited to attend interviews under caution. One man has already been interviewed as enquiries continue.  

Officers also took enforcement action against the landowner and worked with them and Merseyside Police to clear and secure the site, This included the removal of two abandoned vehicles that were blocking access. The site has now been cleared and fenced to help prevent future fly-tipping. 

Working together  

Cllr Harvey continued:   
“This case shows our commitment to tackling environmental crime, holding people to account and working closely with landowners and partner organisations to keep Sefton clean, safe and free from fly-tipping.” 

Successful prosecution 

In a separate case, 25-year-old Kiya Shimmin of Benedict Street, Bootle was successfully prosecuted for fly-tipping waste in an alleyway. Despite paying someone else to remove her rubbish, Sefton Council officers traced the waste back to her and secured a conviction against her. 

Avoid a rubbish deal  

The case serves as a reminder for residents to avoid a #RubbishDeal. Illegal waste operators often advertise cheap clearances on social media, only to dump the waste in streets, alleys, fields and other public spaces. 

But if your waste is fly tipped, you are responsible. Householders have a legal duty of care to ensure their waste is passed to a licensed carrier, and failure to do so can result in fines or prosecution. 

Sefton Council’s Enforcement Officers will search the dumped rubbish and may be able to trace it back to you. 

Follow three simple steps 

To help tackle this issue, Sefton Council continues to support Keep Britain Tidy’s, Fight Fly-Tipping Fortnight campaign, encouraging residents to avoid a #RubbishDeal by taking three simple steps before paying someone to remove their waste. 

1. Ask for a waste carrier registration number  
2. Check it on the Environment Agency’s public register here or call 0300 065 3000  
3. Check you’ll get a receipt