Two Ware residents have appeared in court in relation to flytipping offences after they failed to co-operate with the District Council.
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Both cases were heard at Stevenage Magistrates Court and the offenders were fined and also ordered to pay all costs incurred.
Charity Buckley of Trapstyle Road was charged £1,903.57 on 5th July 2019, whilst Terry Humphrey of King George Road was charged £3,298.16 on 15th August.
Both residents had ignored Section 108 notices sent to them by East Herts District Council.
Section 108 is a power under the environmental protection act 1995 which enables officers to request information from someone if they believe they know something in relation to the deposit of controlled waste. If you are written to using this power and fail to respond to the letter, under Section 108 you become guilty of an offence.
Buckley and Humphrey failed to assist council officers with information following the report of flytipping.
Councillor Graham McAndrew, executive member for waste at East Herts Council said, "These cases highlight how seriously the council takes flytipping. I hope that cases like this will discourage flytipping in our district and ensure that people take responsibility for their waste and how they dispose of it."
Flytipping is a serious criminal offence for which you can be prosecuted. The courts have various powers available to them to tackle the issue, including imprisonment, an unlimited fine, orders to pay costs and an order to deprive rights to a vehicle used to commit the offence.
East Herts experienced a high volume of flytipping earlier this year and the issue remains a priority for the council.
Graham McAndrew, added, "If you witnesses flytipping you must report it. Where possible enforcement officers will, and do prosecute the offenders. Flytipping destroys our beautiful towns and will not be tolerated."
East Herts Council is part of the Hertfordshire Fly Tipping Group which is a multi-agency taskforce including the Boroughs, Districts and County Council as well as the Police, Office of the Police and Crime Commissioner, Herts Fire & Rescue, the Environment Agency, the National Farmers Union and Keep Britain Tidy which has come together to improve how Hertfordshire responds to fly tipping.