Council dish out £10,000 in penalties to more fly-tippers

Oldham Council officials have been out in force, targeting a small minority of residents and business owners still think they can get away with not tidying up after themselves and leaving others to do the work.

Unfortunately for those who act irresponsibly, Oldham Council officers are out and about across the borough investigating reports of people dumping waste in public.

If they find evidence linking anyone to the rubbish then the Council will take action – which could end up with you appearing in the dock.

Councillor Arooj Shah, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “We, and the vast majority of our residents, are sick and tired of the actions of a few people creating eyesores and health hazards across our communities.

“It costs a lot of money to clear up the rubbish we find dumped in our alleyways, roads and greenspaces – funds we could use on other services.

“If you see anyone dumping waste, report it to us and we will investigate.

“And if someone offers to remove waste for you make sure you ask to see their waste transfer licence – otherwise you could be the one having to pay the fine.”

The following cases were all heard at Tameside Magistrates’ Court on June 21.

Satar Farag, of Buzau Food Store, Broadway Street, was served with a Community Protection Notice requiring him to put his rubbish in a trade waste bin.

He was also served with another notice requiring him to produce his trade waste transfer notes after officers found waste in the yard to the rear of his premises in December 2017 and January 2018.

He failed to comply with either order and was fined a total of £2,010 for both offences.

On January 8, business waste found in the alleyway behind Vibes nightclub on Yorkshire Street was traced to owner Henry O’Kere, aged 28, of Alexandra Road South, Manchester.

He pleaded guilty to a duty of care offence and was fined £600 with £885 costs and a £60 victim surcharge.

Christopher Tweedy and Nicole Perrin Tweedy, of Firtree Avenue, Oldham, have each been fined £1,484 after failing to comply with a Community Protection Notice which was served because they repeatedly allowed waste to build up in their garden.

Previously council officers visited on five occasions between December 2017 and March 2018, and issued four fixed penalty notices (FPNs) for not removing the waste.

Waste found in an alley way behind Hussain Superstore, Ashton Road in July last year was traced to the owner Qaisar Hussain.

The 44-year-old pleaded guilty of a duty of care offence and was fined £445 with £949 costs plus a victim surcharge of £44.

Safian Mahmood (24), of Abbeyhills Road and Margaret Sellers, Keswick Avenue admitted they’d given their rubbish to unknown men to dispose of.

However, it was later found dumped in the borough 

Both pleaded guilty to duty of care offences.

Mahmood was fined £105 with £450 costs and a £30 victim surcharge while Sellers was ordered to handover a £200 fine with £225 costs plus a £30 victim surcharge.

Waste dumped on Crime Lane was traced to two separate individuals - Salma Khalid and Peter Kuhnert.

Khalid (34), of Vicarage Street, was fined £70 with £550 costs and a £30 victim surcharge after he pleaded guilty to a duty of care offence.

Bernadette Hinchcliffe (47), of Urmson Street, pleaded guilty to a duty of care offence after her waste was found dumped behind her house.

She was ordered to pay a total of £480.

After failing to pay an FPN for littering Syed Eusef (33) ended up in court.

He admitted the offence and was fined £80 with £125 costs plus a £30 victim surcharge.

Recently, the Council launched an innovative approach to tackling fly-tipping and teamed up with environmental charity Hubbub and the social enterprise IF Oldham.

For ideas, inspiration and information on how you could win an alleyway makeover please visit: https://www.oldham.gov.uk/cleanstreets or www.hubbub.org.uk/lovewhereyoulive

To report fly tipping, visit: www.oldham.gov.uk/flytipping/