Firm fined for failing to clean up their act

Oldham Council are warning businesses in the borough to clean up waste - or face punishment.

The local authority says it's taking action against those who think they can get away with making the area untidy.

It comes after the landowner of a site that had become an eyesore the for the local community was prosecuted for not cleaning up their act.

Household waste, appliances, black bin bags and rubble were strewn across the piece of land on Hamilton Street.

The council first contacted the owners - Hutch National Ltd, of Woodcock Court, Salford - in March last year asking them to clear up the mess.

That letter was ignored and so three fixed penalty notices were issued.

None were paid.

Oldham Council continued to chase the owners and issued a Community Protection Notice, which required them by law to clear the site of waste and secure the fencing so fly tippers could not dump their rubbish.

Due to the unpaid fines the company was summonsed to Tameside Magistrates' Court on January 23.

No one from the firm appeared so the case was heard in their absence and they were fined £2,000, with £575 cost and a victim surcharge of £181 for failing to comply with the Community Protection Notice.

The site has since been cleared. 

Councillor Ateeque Ur Rehman, Cabinet Member for Neighbourhood Services, said: "We will not allow Oldham to be used as a dumping ground for rubbish.

"When we find evidence, action will be taken against those who think they can get away with it."

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