Sara Britcliffe, Member of Parliament for Hyndburn & Haslingden, has welcomed the latest government investment in Hyndburn & Haslingden, announced 8 April 2023, which will see £50,000 provided to Hyndburn Borough Council to crackdown on fly-tipping.
The government's latest crackdown on fly-tipping comes as a welcome relief for local communities who have long been affected by this menace. Fly-tipping not only damages the environment but also poses a health hazard and impacts negatively on quality of life. As a result, it has been an ongoing issue that requires attention.
The grants, totalling £775,000, will enable 21 local authorities across the country to strengthen their enforcement efforts, including increasing surveillance and investing in technology to identify and prosecute perpetrators of fly-tipping. The grants are part of the government's broader efforts to tackle waste crime, which costs the economy millions of pounds each year. The government has committed to introducing new legislation that will further strengthen the powers of councils and the Environment Agency in dealing with fly-tipping and other forms of waste crime.
The new grants will be available to local authorities immediately, and Hyndburn will receive £50,000. This investment will help boost the fight against fly-tipping and protect our local environment, specifically it will help towards the installation of barriers – anti-climb fencing to protect neighbourhood areas in Hyndburn, including community orchards and wildflower meadows.
Speaking on the announcement, MP Sara Britcliffe said:
I am delighted to see the government taking further action to tackle fly-tipping in Hyndburn. The anti-social behaviour crackdown announced before Easter, with new powers to be given to councils over fly-tipping, combined with this new investment, shows this government is about doing and not just talking.
Under the stewardship of Conservative Councillor Steven Smithson, who has responsibility for fly-tipping, we have started to see fly-tipping fall in Hyndburn, falling to 2,534 incidents from 3,308 incidents in the last year. These new powers & investment will only help him, and the council further reduce incidents of this nuisance.
Hyndburn is achieving great success as 2023 rolls on in attracting government investment. I am constantly speaking to ministers in public & private about the need for funding in our area and that Hyndburn is one of the 21 councils selected for this scheme, demonstrates strong local representation for our home in Westminster is bearing fruit.
