The campaign will run throughout July with the aim of highlighting the rise in fly-tipping across the city.

On average, rubbish was dumped on Gloucester’s streets an unbelievable 23 times a week over the last year, with a total of 1,175 incidents reported. This figure is likely well-below the real number of incidents but gives a glimpse into the scale of this antisocial behaviour issue. Nationally, fly-tipping has skyrocketed by a third since 2010, with 125 incidents of rubbish being dumped every hour across England. 

Having heard residents raise the issue time and again whilst out canvassing across the city, Gloucester Labour have decided enough is enough and have started a campaign to bring a clean start to Gloucester. They kicked off the campaign this weekend (Saturday 1st July) by launching a petition and carrying out a community clean up at Milton Avenue Open Space in Podsmead.

Cllr Terry Pullen, Leader of the Labour Group on Gloucester City Council said of the campaign, 

“Fly-tipping continues to be a major issue in parts of Gloucester and the City Council must do more to solve this antisocial problem. Thousands of pounds of tax payers money is used every year clearing up fly-tipping- this is a waste of money that could be put to gear better use. 

“Fly-tipping is not just antisocial but it is an illegal activity, although it seems that the current £400 fine is doing very little to deter those who dump rubbish on our streets. I am sure Labour’s plan to increase the fine to £1,000 will not only make those who fly-tip think twice but will also increase the council’s resources to tackle the problem. This will mean more CCTV cameras and more staff to patrol the streets, something we have been demanding for a very long time. 

“I really hope the council takes Labour’s fly-tipping campaign proposals seriously and acts on them- if they don’t things will go form bad to worse.”

Alex McIntyre, Labour’s Parliamentary Candidate for Gloucester has said,

“Pride in our city starts with pride in our streets. But for too long our Conservative government and council have allowed fly-tippers off the hook. Labour will take the bold action needed to clean up our streets and hold criminals to account. It’s time for a clean start for Gloucester.”

Among Labour’s proposals to tackle the issue are increased fixed penalty notices, fixed penalty cleaning orders that will make fly-tippers clean up their own mess and halving the bulky waste collection charge to make it more affordable and accessible for residents. 

You can find out more about the campaign and sign the petition here.