New powers announced by the Labour Government to crack down on fly-tipping have been welcomed by Labour Councillors in Harrow, as the borough continues to struggle with a surge in illegal waste dumping.
The new measures, announced last week by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA), aim to help councils tackle fly-tipping more effectively. Under the changes, those caught illegally dumping waste could face up to five years in prison.
Councils will also be encouraged to work with police to seize and crush vehicles used by offenders, with drones and mobile CCTV cameras to be used to identify culprits.
Fly-tipping in Harrow has increased significantly in recent years, with a record 12,413 incidents reported in 2023/24. The issue has affected many areas of the borough, especially Edgware and Wealdstone.
Environment Secretary Steve Reed said: “Waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our towns and villages have gone unpunished for too long. That ends today. The government is calling time on fly-tipping. I will not stand by while this avalanche of rubbish buries our communities.”
Labour Councillors in Harrow have supported the government’s move. Councillor David Perry, Leader of the Labour Group, said:
“I applaud the announcement of tougher enforcement, punishment and sentencing by the Labour government this week for those who illegally dump waste in Harrow and contribute to our town getting dirtier. While the Conservative-led Harrow Council have talked a big game on enforcement, unfortunately we are yet to see results on a local level.
“Thankfully, these new measures, announced by the national government this week, will give Councils the necessary powers to combat the blight on our communities that is the fly-tipping epidemic, which began while the Conservatives were in power nationally.
“While the Tories refused to act for years, this Labour government is listening to the concerns of people on the ground and doing something proactive. I am glad to already be seeing the positive changes coming from a Labour government on the issues that matter most to our residents, and hopefully these new enforcement powers will help reverse the trend of Harrow getting dirtier.”
In response, Harrow Council Leader Cllr Paul Osborn criticised Labour’s record on the issue, pointing to the increased number of fines issued since the Conservatives took control of the council in 2022.
Cllr Osborn said: “Cllr Perry’s opportunistic words are undermined by Harrow Labour’s disgustingly dire record on this issue when they ran Harrow Council prior to May 2022.
“In 2021, Harrow Labour’s last full year in control of the Council, they only issued 17 fines for fly-tipping. This is compared to 1,257 fines issued last year under Harrow Conservatives. Since we came to power in May 2022 we have issued over 3,000 fines for fly-tipping.
“We of course welcome new powers to tackle fly-tipping and we also welcome tougher sentencing for those individuals who dump rubbish illegally.
“Tackling fly-tipping has been a central focus on Harrow’s Conservative Council. We have ramped up fly-tipping enforcement to record levels, investing over £1 million to clean up our streets and crack down on the perpetrators of fly-tipping in the last year alone.
“Conservative councillors have also more than doubled the fine for fly-tipping from only £400 (under Labour) to £1,000.
“We have increased the number of enforcement officers, and we hold regular meetings to discuss the worst fly-tipping locations in the borough and what actions have been taken to stop them.
“Cllr Perry and his Labour colleagues have criticised and voted against the Conservative Council’s policies which have enhanced enforcement and increased fines. Cllr Perry is the very worst type of politician, one who says one thing but does another.
“Harrow Labour’s awful record on fly-tipping speaks for itself. If they take control of the Council again next year, they will be a soft touch on fly-tipping.
“The enforcement data shows we are making progress against fly-tipping, but we know there is still much more to do. Only your local Conservative councillors can be trusted to keep Harrow clean and safe. We will put residents first.”
The new powers aim to cut red tape and support councils in clamping down more effectively on offenders, but with both parties now claiming credit and criticising each other’s record, fly-tipping looks set to remain a major talking point in Harrow ahead of next year’s local elections.
Chris Mitchell is the founder and editor of Harrow Online, Harrow’s leading local news platform.
He launched Harrow Online in 2010 as a Facebook page sharing local news and information. Since then, it has grown into a trusted source for breaking news, crime, council decisions, planning, transport, business and community stories across the borough.
Harrow Online reaches hundreds of thousands of readers each month and has a social media audience of more than 200,000 followers.
For news tips, press releases or enquiries, contact Chris at info@harrowonline.org.
