Watford fly-tipping making locals 'sick to the back teeth'

Callowland representative Dennis Watling has recently snapped the hotspots, which he said have worsened since the borough council hiked the cost of collecting bulky items. 

The worst areas are reportedly at the bottom of Victoria Road and nearby alleyways, a path near The Glenn Club, the area near Regent’s Lodge, and Balmoral Road.

The Labour councillor said: "Fly-tipping is not a new phenomenon and nor is it exclusive to just Callowland, but the residents I represent are sick to the back teeth of constantly reporting this, and the cost of collection being on the council tab, despite paying the charge themselves for bulky items." 

According to Cllr Watling, the council has increased the cost of collecting bulky items by 30 per cent since the last budget.

He added: “There is a feeling in the area that incidents of sofas and mattresses being dumped has only increased since the charge went up 30 per cent in the budget, something I tried to warn the council about in January.”

He has put up signs to deter people from fly-tipping, but accepts they “are clearly not making much difference”.

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"I have been working with our hard-working environmental officers since being elected," the councillor said.

“I have been in touch once again with a catalogue of images from the ward urging stronger action. I would like to thank residents for their continued effort to report items and would encourage them to continue until this is resolved."

Watford mayor Peter Taylor said: “There is never an excuse for fly-tipping and it is an issue we take very seriously.

“We are trialling three new mobile CCTV cameras in hotspot areas across the town, which, will not only work as a deterrent but, will provide video evidence of incidents making it easier to track and prosecute perpetrators.”