Twice as many fly-tips reported in Telford & Wrekin than rest of Shropshire, latest figures reveal
There have been more than twice as many incidents of fly-tipping reported in Telford & Wrekin than in the rest of Shropshire in the last 12 months, the latest figures reveal.
Telford & Wrekin Council received 2,594 reports of illegally dumped rubbish for the 2018/2019 period, while 1,035 incidents were reported to Shropshire Council over the same period.
Of these, just one was recorded as being on agricultural land in Telford & Wrekin and five in Shropshire.
But the data released by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) shows the problem in both areas has got slightly better compared to the year before.
Across 2017/2018, there were 2,911 fly-tips reported to Telford & Wrekin Council and 1,073 reported to Shropshire Council.
The two areas have bucked a regional trend, however, which shows the number of fly-tips reported across the West Midlands has increased by nearly 10 per cent.
In 2017/2018 there were a total of 59,593 incidents reported to local authorities in the West Midlands, compared to 65,379 the following year, an increase of 5,786.
James Treverton, of Farmers and Mercantile Insurance Brokers, warned that the numbers do not reflect the true extent of the problem for farmers in Shropshire.
Scourge
"Fly-tipping is a scourge on the farming community and their plight is not reflected in these figures as they exclude the majority of private land incidents," he said.
"Councils spend money every year on clean up costs but private land owners, such as farmers, are suffering in silence with little or no assistance or recourse.
"The burden of dumped rubbish falling squarely with farmers as they are liable for clearing it up at their own expense, or face prosecution.
"Moving the mess on to public land will not solve the issue, but exacerbate it, which farmers need to be mindful of."
Highley Shropshire Councillor Dave Tremellen said he felt the number of incidents occurring on farmers' land was on the increase.
He was speaking following a large fly-tip down Netherton Lane last month which overflowed onto private agricultural land.
He said: "The problem is that when rubbish is dumped in a farmer's field it becomes their responsibility, and if they move it or it's on a nearby road it usually blocks their way – the farmers can't win."
