Council fights fly-tipping

Building rubble, black bin bags, planks of wood, furniture and an old bed base have been piled on spare ground at the back of a pub car park and by a cricket field in Shelf.

One resident, who captured the mess on camera, described it as an “eyesore.”

John Robertshaw, 73, of Cloverdale, lives nearby the fly-tipping area.

He said: “I think it all started back in November when it was supposed to be a bonfire, and now it is just left as a pile of rubbish people think they may as well add to it.

“I contacted the council and they informed me there was nothing they could do about it and suggested to tackle the problem residents should begin a neighbourhood watch.

“So once again it is up to the general public to do something themselves.”

The dumped rubbish is to the rear of the Shoulder of Mutton pub and at the side of Shelf Cricket Club.

Both insisted they had nothing to do with the site.

Mark Thompson, Calderdale Council’s Director of Economy and Environment, said: “We are aware of this fly-tipping. “As it’s privately owned land, it is the owner’s responsibility to remove it.

“However, we are working with the land owner to support them to get the rubbish removed and to advise them of the measures they can introduce to help prevent more fly-tipping.

“If fly-tipping is on private land and it is not removed, there are circumstances where, if needed, the council can enforce the removal for example, if there is a risk to health.”

Mr Robertshaw said: “It’s just a lot of talk and I suspect they are not going to do anything about it because it has been a month since I reported it and nothing has happened.”

Calderdale councillor Stephen Baines, who represents Northowram and Shelf, said: “Officers are currently working with the owners of the land and they have assured us they will remove it.

“I am fully aware of the fly-tipping, but as it is not on council owned land we can only contact the land owner and advise them to move it.”

It is still unclear who exactly the land effected by fly-tipping belongs to.

Mr Thompson said: “We take fly-tipping very seriously – it is a crime and we’re keen to prosecute where we can. To do this well we need evidence from eyewitnesses, gathering as much information on any incidents as possible.

Recently other parts of Shelf have been subjected to fly-tipping.

Rural Riding Hill was forced to close last year after a 30ft high pile of bricks and rubble was dumped.

Council workers were also forced to clear fly-tipped waste off a track near a supermarket off Halifax Road on the Calderdale/Bradford border.

You can report fly-tipping via www.calderdale.gov.uk; by calling the council confidentially on 01422 392 379 or sending an E-mail to: [email protected].