What a load of rubbish! Twenty fly-tipping cases spotted in just one police patrol

During a single patrol officers in the south of the city reported 20 incidents of illegally dumped waste to Wolverhampton council.

Several roads in Blakenhall and All Saints have become hotspots for the crime which can attract penalty notices of between £150 and £400 or an appearance before magistrates.

The latest fly-tipping prompted one long-standing councillor to call for sterner action against perpetrators.

Councillor Elias Mattu, who represents the Graiseley ward, said: "Fly-tipping is a huge problem for the whole city - and the problem is getting worse.

"It is blighting out areas and we need to take stringent action.

"When those doing the fly-tipping go to court they often come away with small fines. They should be getting the maximum fines. We need to set examples and it is not happening.

"Residents also need to be brave, take pictures themselves of what's going on and challenge the people who are doing this."

During their Saturday morning patrol officers in Blakenhall encountered dumped mattresses, sofas, cardboard waste and even the remains of a fridge/freezer.

In Cross Street they found several corrugated roof panels and found evidence of what appeared to be asbestos.

Other roads where items were found include Johnson Street, Haggar Street, Wanderers Avenue and Ranelagh Road.

In All Saints officers discovered several mattresses in Maxwell Road and discarded cardboard and over-flowing bin bags in All Saints Road.

Sergeant John Yeomans, from the Blakenhall, Ettingshall and Spring Vale neighbourhood policing teams, said the problem was like the 'broken window' syndrome where one incident leads to others in the same area.

He said: "From our patrol on Saturday morning we have reported 20 incidents of fly-tipping to the council.

"I should say these are all repeat locations. It is like the 'broken window' syndrome - if one window at a bus shelter is put through them people do more of them.

"It is the same with fly-tipping. When someone has dumped their rubbish it encourages others to do the same.

"We need to think about what is done in the longer-term and what strategies perhaps need to be applied to find out why some areas become hotspots over others."

Councillor John Rowley, who represents the Blakenhall ward on Wolverhampton council, said fly-tipping continued to be a problem because of the high proportion of rented properties.

He said: "I would link it with housing tenure. Blakenhall has got a lot of people who move from one short period of rent to another.

"On some occasions tenants depart owing a lot of money to their landlord and they just dump things from the property.

"On the other side of that are landlords who actually dump it themselves because the items are making a nuisance when they try and do the property up.

"At one stage I was reporting incidents of fly-tipping every day of the week, but I have noticed some difference since posters were put up in the hotspots.

"I don't want people to be hauled before the courts but if that is what will act as the deterrent with this then so be it."

Sgt Yeomans encouraged anyone who witnesses fly-tipping or who spots dumped waste to notify the council via its Report It app.