FLY-TIPPERS are being put on notice – you will be caught and you will be fined if you dump rubbish on the streets of Southend.
In a new plan, cameras will be installed in ten fly-tipping hotspots across Southend as part of an “ambitious” campaign to catch and fine offenders.
Ten key areas which have been plagued by unsightly fly-tipping over the last year have been identified and Southend Council has secured funding to cover the costs of cameras and anti fly-tipping signs.
If the crackdown proves effective and the cameras successfully catch fly-tippers and reduce issues, they could be rolled out further afield in a bid to clean up the city.
As part of the £46,000 grant, the campaign will see public art installations to raise awareness – including the repurposing of one of the elephant statues from last year’s in Herd in the City art trail.
The art will feature messages remind residents to dispose of rubbish responsibly.
Southend Council is also considering introducing a new enforcement team to issue fines to offenders and making it easier for residents to submit evidence of flytipping.
Lydia Hyde, councillor responsible for the environment, said: “We are committed to tackling this issue. When we came into administration, we said our main focus would be to improve the street scene.
“Residents have been saying to us that they want change, and this is concrete action.
“This is the first time we will use cameras in Southend to deal with fly-tipping. We know these places won’t be the only ones but it can help us improve the technology and use it in other places in the future.
“If we can get evidence on the people that are doing this, we can fine them and recover the costs to further implement it. We will also be making it easier for members of the public to submit info about fly-tipping. We’re hoping to set up an online portal.
“The first step in long term action to deal with fly-tipping.
Its difficult to eradicate completely because some just don’t respect the environment. We can greatly reduce it, we will be a city that deals with fly-tipping.”
The council is also exploring the possibility of a free bulky waste service.
Not all 10 locations have been announced at this stage, but the first five include London Road, Hamlet Court Road, in Westcliff, Snakes Lane, in Eastwood, Sutton Road and Rochford Road.
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