It is expected that the fortnightly bin collections and the "chip and bin" tax we are to pay on top of council tax for the removal of our bins will increase levels of fly tipping. If that is the case, we the tax payer have a serious problem! It is thought that there were 50,000 cases of fly tipping in the London Borough of Chelsea and Kensington alone last year. Haringey over 60,000. Outside London, Manchester had more than 30,000. Yet the Government and councils have warned that the worst cases are likely to be in rural areas but are simply not reported. So far it has cost £50m a year for the councils to clean up - and a further £50m for landowners.
So if the fortnightly collections and charges by the weight are going to increase fly tipping, surely these figures are going to soar. In which case, should there not be more a better thought out policy to ensure that fly tipping does not increase? - or will the government head straight on in to this one and worry about the problem later. Tom Watson MP said of the problem "Fly tipping creates misery ... central and local government must get an effective enforcement regime in place before they move to any other radical changes in rubbish collections." Of course if they do march on with no regard this will mean more money spent on cleaning up the problem and yet another rise in council taxes no doubt.