Council prosecutes 'selfish' fly-tippers

Oldham Council have prosecuted a number of irresponsible residents who think they can dump their waste where they want, or leave others to clean up for them.

They claim it costs tax-payers £2,500 a day, when you take into account staff wages, running a van and waste disposal fees. Last year more than 1,500 tonnes of fly-tipped rubbish.

Annually that is money that could be used instead to fill 40,000 potholes or support 2,500 elderly people so they can live independently at home.

Recently Councillors agreed to invest an extra £600,000 into street cleaning annually.

They are now calling on the residents of Oldham to do #yourbit by reporting fly-tipping in your area, challenging bad behaviour where appropriate and getting involved.

The #result will be cleaner areas to live in and a place people want to be part of.

Councillor Arooj Shah, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: “It’s not the council dumping the rubbish and we don’t have the resources or the money to drive around our borough picking up waste that people have dumped.

“With the council’s budget decreasing every year this is not a good way for money to be spent and it’s not sustainable.

“Everyone needs to do their bit. Thankfully, the vast majority of you don’t fly-tip but for this problem to go away we need the selfish few to stop.”

The following cases were recently heard at Tameside Magistrates’ Court.

Emaran Bajiwala, of Jai Guru Off Licence, Walkers Road, Oldham pleaded guilty to a duty of care offence after his business waste was found dumped on Groby Street in March. Mr Bajiwala had paid an unknown male to remove the waste. He was fined £200 with £560 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

Shabnam Khan, of Cambridge Street Oldham was issued with a Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN) after admitting depositing a bag of waste in an alley on Stafford Street in March. She failed to pay the fine and was found guilty in her absence. The 38-year-old was fined £220 with £556 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

Waste found dumped at the side of Zeland Street was traced to Levi Dawson – the same street she lived on. She was issued with a FPN bu8t didn’t pay it. The 22-year-old also failed to attend court and was found guilty in her absence of littering. She was fined £340 with £812 costs plus £34 victim surcharge.

Georghe Balaban dumped his waste in the alley behind his house on Meldrum Street, Oldham. He too failed to pay an FPN and didn’t turn up to court. The 23-year-old was found guilty in his absence and fined £220, plus £606 costs and a £30 victim surcharge

After failing to produce her trade waste documentation detailing how she disposes of her business waste Tazeem Akhtar, of Sanyas Boutique, Abbey Hills Road was prosecuted. She failed to turn up in court and was found guilty in her absence and fined £660 with £450 costs and £66 victim surcharge.

Jessica McDonagh, of Bakestones Avenue, pleaded guilty to two duty of care offences after her waste was found dumped on Ladcastle Road in Oldham in February 2018 and on Sunnybank in Lees in February 2017. She was fined £150 plus £200 costs with a £30 victim surcharge.

Stephanie Gerrard, of Taurus Street was issued with an FPN after admitting depositing her waste in the alley near her home. The 41-year-old didn’t pay the fine and was found guilty. She was fined £50 with £50 costs plus a £30 victim surcharge.

Caroline Aspill, of Abbey Hills Road Oldham pleaded not guilty to a duty of care offence. Officers found waste relating to her dumped behind houses on Worsley Street in May. Following a trial the court found that Ms Aspill had not taken reasonable steps and had therefore failed in her duty of care with regards to disposing of her waste.

She was fined £180 plus £300 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

Aspill had previously pleaded guilty to breaching a Community Protection Notice served on her to keep her back yard clear of rubbish. She was sentenced following the trial for the duty of care offence and fined £120 plus £600 costs.

Aysha Begum, of Ward Street also pleaded not guilty to a duty of care offence after her waste was found dumped on land directly behind her house. However, the court found her guilty and she was fined £180 with £806 costs and £30 victim surcharge.

If you don’t have enough room and need help with recycling contact Waste Management 0161 770 6644

You can take excess waste to Arkwright Street Waste and Recycling Centre, Oldham OL9 9LZ free of charge. If you haven’t got a car see if a friend could take you

If you pay someone to take your waste ask to see their waste carriers licence, this is a card issued by the Environment Agency and get them to give you a receipt for the waste taken and their name and contact details.

If you are not sure do not pass your waste on because if it found dumped, you will face legal action.

---

Do you have a story for us? Want to tell us about something going on in and around Oldham? Let us know by emailing news@oldham-chronicle.co.uk , calling our Oldham-based newsroom on 0161 633 2121 , tweeting us @oldhamchronicle or messaging us through our Facebook page. All contact will be treated in confidence.