Fly-tippers’ vehicles ‘will be seized’
New powers to seize and even crush vehicles used for fly-tipping in Wearside have been given the green light by Sunderland City Council’s (SCC) cabinet.
The legal powers allow the council to seize vehicles used in waste transport or deposit offences and aim to strengthen SCC’s ability to tackle environmental crime.
The Control of Waste Dealing With Seized Property (England and Wales) Regulations 2015 outline several situations where vehicles can be seized.
This includes transporting waste without a licence, unauthorised dumping, failing to ensure transfer of waste to an “authorised person” and failure to provide waste information forms when requested.
If a vehicle is seized as part of an investigation and is not then claimed within 15 working days, it can be sold or destroyed.
SCC’s deputy leader, Michael Mordey described the powers as the “latest stage in this council’s crackdown on fly-tipping in the city”.
Speaking at the Sunderland Civic Centre meeting, he said several measures would have to be put in place before powers could be enforced – including links to relevant partners such as Northumbria Police and the DVLA.
The council would also require a premises to store seized vehicles, an admin team to monitor legal process and a “working procedure” to define parameters of enforcement, the committee heard.
Coun Mordey added the cost of recovery and vehicle seizure is about £2,000 per year, which could be funded from SCC’s Place Management Budget or offset from the cost of vehicles seized.
Council leader Harry Trueman credited the council’s campaign to tackle litter in the city and praised residents for their support.
“I feel we’re winning the battle,” he said.
Since January 2017, the council says it has updated and adopted new legal powers for environmental enforcement.
The adoptions came after a scrutiny committee recommended the council should deal with the perpetrators of environmental crime more appropriately.
SCC’s head of place management, Mark Speed said: “Now, the council has powers to seize a vehicle, trailer or mobile plant and the contents if it’s believed they are being, have been, or will be used to commit a waste crime, such as fly-tipping.
“These are strong powers and they have been adopted because the council is prepared to use them against a selfish minority who do not help keep our city clean and green.”
“Now the council have the power to seize a vehicle” MARK SPEED