Gavin Williamson, MP for South Staffordshire, has condemned Staffordshire County Council for introducing charges for certain types of household waste for fears of an increase in fly-tipping.
Charges will be introduced from November for the disposal of certain non-household waste at all of the Staffordshire Household Waste Recycling Centres including the centre based in Wombourne.
As a result of the changes, residents will be charged £3 for each bag of soil and rubble, plasterboard and £4 for each tyre at each household waste and recycling centres.
Gavin has been contacted by concerned constituents, most recently in Pattingham, where fly-tipping has increased substantially over the past year.
Following the announcement of the charges Gavin has urged the County Council to rethink the charges and plans to meet with Council representatives to discuss what can be done to reduce the destructive effect dumping rubbish has on South Staffordshire’s countryside.
On the issue Gavin commented: “These charges are a step backwards in the fight against fly-tipping. The Council spend more cleaning up the destruction created by irresponsible individuals who fly-tip
“We should not be asking those who want to responsibly dispose of their rubbish to have to pay and instead look at how the Council can save money cleaning up after the environmental vandals who cost local authorities across the country £50 million a year to clean up after.
“I plan to meet with Council representatives to discuss the destructive effect fly-tipping has on our villages in South Staffordshire and will urge them to rethink these charges.”