A Chatham man has become the first to be issued with a £1,000 fine for fly tipping by Gravesham Borough Council since the authority introduced higher fixed penalties last month.
The 59-year-old was traced after numerous members of the local Higham community contacted Gravesham Borough Council’s environmental enforcement team to report the fly tip which took place on 18 October on Lower Higham Road, and video footage of the incident was posted on social media.
Officers carried out an investigation and identified the offender, who admitted the offence after a formal interview.
Cllr Shane Mochrie-Cox, Gravesham Borough Council’s Cabinet Member for Strategic Environment, said: “I would like to thank all those members of the Higham community who contacted our team and helped them successfully trace this offender.
“Working together with local communities, we will continue to make Gravesham an extremely uncomfortable place to commit environmental crime.
“I hope the level of the fine, which has been paid, has come as an unpleasant shock to this fly-tipper and makes him think twice before offending again.
“I would ask anyone tempted to follow his example, is it really worth running the risk, especially when there are so many legitimate ways to dispose of waste responsibly, including the household waste and recycling centres run by our colleagues at Kent County Council and Medway Council?”
To find you nearest waste and recycling centre, visit www.kent.gov.uk/environment-waste-and-planning or www.medway.gov.uk/recyclingcentres.