Gloucester council leader makes direct appeal to Andy Burnham to help clear fly tipping

Councillor Jeremy Hilton has called for direct, ringfenced Government funding to help clear a large area of land at Severnside Farm, behind the St Oswalds Retail Park, which has been blighted by large-scale fly-tipping, environmental damage and suspected organised waste crime.

The letter follows a recent social media video in which the Prime Minister pledged that those responsible for illegal dumping and waste crime “will not get away with it on my watch” and promised support for communities facing similar challenges.

Working alongside the Environment Agency, Gloucestershire Police and other partners, Gloucester City Council has already led a major enforcement operation at Severnside Farm. More than 80 tonnes of illegally dumped waste have been removed, vehicles and equipment linked to the operation have been seized and evidence gathered to support further enforcement action.

However, work to fully clear the site was halted after substantial quantities of asbestos were discovered buried within the waste.

The council estimates that at least a further £200,000 will be needed to safely remove and dispose of the hazardous material and complete the remediation of the site, with costs potentially rising as additional waste is uncovered.

Councillor Jeremy Hilton, Leader of Gloucester City Council, said:

"Our residents are rightly frustrated that this site continues to be a blot on the landscape and we share that frustration. We have taken robust action, led a major multi-agency operation and made significant progress, but the discovery of asbestos has created a substantial financial challenge. The Prime Minister has publicly pledged support for communities affected by environmental crime. We welcome that commitment and are now asking the Government to help us finish the job. Gloucester is prepared to be at the forefront of tackling illegal waste crime. We are willing to take decisive enforcement action, work closely with partner agencies and pursue those responsible through the courts. But local taxpayers should not be left to carry the full cost of dealing with organised environmental crime.”

In his letter, Councillor Hilton also called for support from national agencies, including the National Crime Agency, to help identify and prosecute those behind the illegal dumping operation. He said Gloucester would be willing to share lessons learned from its innovative and collaborative enforcement approach to help shape best practice for tackling large-scale fly-tipping and illegal landfill sites across the country.

The council is now seeking urgent discussions with Government ministers on securing funding and support to complete the clean-up operation.