Council fined over fly-tipping

RICHARD BATSON

A road worker who fly-tipped a pile of rubble on a clifftop has landed Norfolk County Council with a £6,000 fine.

The red-faced council, which is part of the county's waste partnership battling to promote recycling and stamp out fly-tipping, yesterday apologised for the one-off incident.

It stressed that the council had strict procedures over disposing of waste, and that everyone involved had had fresh training and reminders of the rules.

And North Norfolk District Council, which took its county cousins to court over the incident, also warned that it was prepared to prosecute fly-tippers, whoever they were.

The rubble - a mixture of asphalt, concrete and soil - was tipped at the Old Crown and Anchor on Mundesley Road at Trimingham, Cromer magistrates heard yesterday.

Local residents Matthew and Jeanette Cooper heard the rumble, took a mobile phone picture of the offending lorry, and phoned the council to complain.

Parminder Ubhi, prosecut-ing, said driver Shaun Hazel, when challenged, told the couple he was doing them a favour by tipping the load which would protect the cliffs from erosion.

Michael Joyce, for the county council, said systems were in place to dispose of such waste, and it was a "one- off incident" brought about by a misconception from a supervisor's comment, and that it was an approved site for waste dumping up until 2003.

However, the rubble, from pathworks at Links Avenue, Cromer, should have been taken to a proper site at Aylsham.

Following the incident, staff involved had been given new guidance notes, and some "tool box kit talks" to spell out the rules for disposal, he stressed.

The county council admitted fly-tipping at an unlicensed site and was fined £6,000 with £500 costs.

Afterwards, the county council's head of highway operations, John Longhurst, said they were "sorry and disappointed" at the actions of the workman, who had a previously exemplary 10-year record.