Watford Borough Council is taking another stand against fly-tipping and anti-social behaviour, with four new CCTV cameras in hot spot areas across the town...
Additional CCTV cameras to mainly combat fly-tipping have been installed in Francis Road and Queens Road, with another being connected by Queens Avenue. They operate 24/7 and will identify when someone has left rubbish behind, as well as providing a video report of the incident to enforcement officers.
The council has had a zero-tolerance approach to fly-tipping for over a decade, successfully taken legal action against hundreds of offenders. This hard-line tactic is because of the environmental effect and cost to the council of over £50,000 each year to clear up illegally dumped waste on public land, money that could be spent on providing other vital services to Watford’s residents.
Since 2016, fly-tippers have been identified and issued with Fixed Penalty Notices (FPN’s) for £300, totalling over £12,000 in fines. These individuals have been given 14 days to pay their fines.
Victoria Passage will also benefit from CCTV, with £5,000 in funding from the council’s Neighbourhood Grant, which is generated from a Community Infrastructure Levy (CIL) that developers pay on new housing developments in the borough. Whilst the focus is on anti-social behaviour and crime, it can also capture any fly-tipping incidents in the area.
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor with local resident Bobby Amin
Elected Mayor of Watford, Peter Taylor, said: “Fly-tipping on Watford’s streets is not only unsightly and very costly to the council, it is illegal. People who break the law and fly tip can face significant fines or even prison if they are caught. I regularly hear from residents and businesses who are frustrated when they see their local area used to get rid of other people’s rubbish.
“CCTV cameras can provide a real deterrent to would-be fly tippers but if people choose to ignore the warning, the evidence they provide will help us build a case against them. It is really important that we do everything we can to tackle fly tipping to keep our streets and parks clean and tidy.”
Staffed 24 hours a day, 365 days a year, operators are keeping an eye out for people doing something illegal or anti-social on the town’s 53 cameras. For more information, please visit www.watford.gov.uk/CCTV.
