People convicted of fly-tipping should be handed tougher sentences councils have argued, after figures show no-one has been given the maximum punishment allowed since new guidelines in 2014.
Analysis by the Local Government Association (LGA) has found courts are failing to sentence guilty fly-tippers with the maximum £50,000 fine or 12 months in prison.
This is despite a 40% increase in fly-tipping since 201, up from 714,637 to 997,553 in 2017/18.
The LGA warned councils are unable to keep up with spiralling cases of fly-tipping, after taking action on nearly 500,000 incidents last year.
Cllr Martin Tett, chairman of the LGA’s Environment Board, said: ‘Councils are doing everything they can to try and deter fly-tippers. However, prosecuting them often requires time-consuming and laborious investigations, with a high threshold of proof, at a time when councils face significant budget pressures.
’Consistent and hard-hitting prosecutions are needed to deter rogue operators and fly-tippers. Councils also need adequate funding to investigate incidents and ensure fly-tippers do not go unpunished.’
