Public member handed out fine for fly-tipping in Lee-on-the-Solent

The neighbour sprung into action after catching the culprit leaving the pile of rubbish in Elmore car park, Lee-on-the-Solent.

They took down the culprit’s car registration before alerting Gosport Borough Council.

That enabled the authority to track down the fly-tipper, who was then issued with a fixed penalty notice and ordered to pay £200.

Councillor Graham Burgess, chairman of council’s community board, praised the resident’s quick-thinking.

He said: ‘It is thanks to a member of the public that this fly-tipper was caught.

‘Fortunately they took down the offender’s car registration and got in touch after spotting rubbish being dumped in a Lee-on-the-Solent car park.

‘Fly-tipping is completely selfish, residents shouldn’t have to put with the mess and paying the clean-up costs of people who carelessly dump rubbish.’ Fixed penalty notices were brought in by the government in May last year, giving councils the power to hand out fines to deal with environmental offences.

This is the fifth fixed penalty notice handed out in Gosport, more than any other local authority in the local area.

Cllr Mark Hook, leader of the council, said: ‘We will not tolerate people who drop litter, fly tip or anything else.

‘Recently, I have been encouraged by the work that has been done to make our streets clean.

‘Members of the public will not tolerate people dropping litter and we will continue to pursue that.’

Jeanette Perry, who organises regular litter picks, said: ‘Fly-tipping makes a blight of an area.

‘It also can attract a lot of vermin, such as rats, foxes and even birds that will leave bird mess. Everyone has got to take their part. Anyone who sees anything should tell street scene - they would be happy to take the message on and investigate.’

As reported, Gosport Borough Council prosecuted prolific fly-tipper Ashley Mooney, along with Portsmouth, Fareham and Winchester councils.