Fly-tipping around old pit wheel monument condemned

Fly-tipping around an old pit wheel monument in one of the Wakefield district's old mining heartlands has been discussed by senior councillors.
The old monument, on Wheldon Road, has fallen into disrepair. Picture by Alex Kear.The old monument, on Wheldon Road, has fallen into disrepair. Picture by Alex Kear.
The old monument, on Wheldon Road, has fallen into disrepair. Picture by Alex Kear.

The local authority has approved tough new sanctions for households who pay others to dispose of their waste, if it is later found to have been dumped on public land.

The original owners of the rubbish will be handed a £250 penalty notice unless they can demonstrate they took "reasonable" steps to ensure their waste would be disposed of responsibly.

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Speaking at a Cabinet meeting on Tuesday morning, Airedale and Ferry Fryston councillor Les Shaw referenced problems around the monument in his own ward, on Wheldon Road.

Coun Shaw said he hoped the new penalty charges would be enforced.Coun Shaw said he hoped the new penalty charges would be enforced.
Coun Shaw said he hoped the new penalty charges would be enforced.

The area around it has fallen into a state of disrepair and ex miners want to see the wheel moved 200 yards down the road to the miners’ memorial at the former Wheldale Colliery.

Coun Shaw said: "I know it’s difficult when it comes to giving out penalties to people who are giving their rubbish to someone else, but the simple truth is that we can’t have fly-tipping.

"It's happening in some of the most unusual places. For instance, in my ward, at the old miners memorial on Wheldon Road, you frequently go past and see rubbish has been dumped there.

"We just can't have this.

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"A - the cost of cleaning up fly-tipping is phenomenal and B - there has to be some responsiblity for the people who are giving their waste to other people.

"I hope that when this is introduced we do actually enforce it, I think that’s very important."

The new charges have been introduced to combat the rise of so-called "Facebook fly-tippers", used to describe people who advertise themselves as waste carriers on social media despite having no licence to do so.

Residents are urged to make sure that anyone paid to take their rubbish away is legally entitled to do so.

Anyone told to pay a fine for the offence will see the charge reduced to £150 if they pay up promptly.

Local Democracy Reporting Service