A Frenchay man has been ordered to pay £4,525 in fines and costs after South Gloucestershire Council prosecuted him for waste offences following the discovery of a fly-tip on a rural country lane.
Royston Tucker, 34, of Alexander Road, Frenchay appeared at Bristol Magistrates Court on Monday 12 May where he pleaded guilty to fly-tipping and failing in his duty of care regarding retaining any waste transfer notes required. He was ordered to pay a fine of £3,000, along with a £1,000 victim surcharge and the council’s costs of £525, making a total of £4,525.
The court heard that on Monday 16 September 2024 a fly-tip at Serridge Lane in Coalpit Heath was reported to South Gloucestershire Council. The council’s environmental enforcement officers searched the fly-tipped waste and discovered paperwork that led officers to two addresses.
Officers visited the addresses and found that both householders had each paid £140 for waste to be removed from their homes. They were shown photos of the Serridge Lane fly-tip and each identified some (but not all of the waste in the photos) as waste they had paid Tucker to properly dispose of.
Further enquiries traced Royston Tucker, the sole trader of R&R Waste Clearance Ltd, as the man they had both paid to remove their waste.
On Friday 6 December 2024 Tucker was interviewed by the council’s environmental enforcement officers where he admitted picking the waste up from both addresses and fly-tipping it on the afternoon of Saturday 14 September 2024. He was advised he would be reported for summons.
Councillor Sean Rhodes, cabinet member responsible for environmental enforcement at South Gloucestershire Council, said: “I hope this latest prosecution acts as a deterrent to anyone who fails in their duty of care for waste disposal. If you dump waste illegally in South Glos, you will be held accountable.
“Fly-tipping is not just an eyesore – it’s a crime that damages our environment and burdens our communities. We urge residents to always check that waste carriers are properly licensed and to report any suspicious activity.
“Residents are advised to be wary of businesses or people advertising waste clearances on social media sites such as Facebook. There are a number of legitimate options for waste removal, including the council’s large household waste collection service. If you hire a third-party to dispose of your waste, always ask for a copy of the company’s waste carrier registration certificate and ask where the waste is being taken.
“Prosecutions like these protect our environment and create cleaner and safer places for our communities. These are key priorities of the Liberal Democrat/ Labour partnership.”
Residents and businesses are advised to only give their rubbish to an Environment Agency registered waste carrier.
You can carry out these simple steps to make sure your waste is disposed of legally:
- Ask for a copy of the company’s waste carrier registration certificate and ask where the waste is being taken. Legitimate firms will be happy to provide this information.
- Do not be tempted to use people offering cheap waste clearance on sites such as Facebook and Gumtree unless you have confirmed that they are registered with the Environment Agency
- Check whether the waste carrier is registered by calling the Environment Agency on 08708 506506 or by checking on their website https://environment.data.gov.uk/public-register/view/search-waste-carriers-brokers
- Ask for a registered trading address and contact telephone number for the trader and get a receipt.
Household waste can be taken to the council’s Sort It recycling centres where it can be disposed of at no cost www.southglos.gov.uk/sortitcentres
Residents who see illegal fly-tipping are encouraged to report it by contacting the council’s StreetCare helpdesk on 01454 868000, emailing streetcare@southglos.gov.uk or visiting www.southglos.gov.uk/flytipping
