Colchester council could use CCTV in fly-tipping crackdown

Residents are growing increasingly angry with careless fly-tippers who have regularly plagued an area behind Holt Driver with rubbish for the last month.

The incidents have seen bags of litter as well as furniture left dumped.

Berechurch ward councillor Dave Harris reported the latest incident on Tuesday.

Frustrated - Colchester councillor Dave Harris (Image: Newsquest)

“This is the fourth time in just six weeks,” said Mr Harris.

“Residents are complaining about this blot on the landscape where they live.

“Deterring fly-tipping is vital it seems in this area.

“The area is beautiful and a community asset so we need to stop the one person in a thousand who dumps like this.”

'Unsightly and dangerous'

Bosses at Colchester Council have now said they are committed to managing the city's open spaces in a way which benefits the whole community.

“We have been proactive in dealing with reports of fly-tipping, but we need the help of residents and the wider public to keep the area clean and safe," the spokesman added.

“The play area and recreation ground provide a place for people to exercise and relax, and we want everyone to be able to enjoy it.

“However, it has been the target of fly-tipping in recent weeks. This is not only unsightly, but it is also dangerous.”

The council confirmed the site was cleared of black bags last week with larger items from this week removed on Tuesday.

Dumped - rubbish bags strewn across the public space behind Holt Road in Colchester (Image: Public)

Litter - a furniture chair was dumped this week (Image: Public)

Bosses also said they are now looking into the possibility of CCTV to help crackdown on the issue.

The spokesman added: “While the recent fly-tipping has been addressed, we continue to ask for the wider public's help in keeping the area clean and safe.

“Please report any incidents of antisocial behaviour or fly-tipping to us immediately.

“In addition to our existing efforts, we are exploring the use of mobile CCTV cameras to deter fly-tipping and identify offenders.

“We are committed to making the area a safe and enjoyable place for everyone. We hope that by working together, we can achieve this.”

• Dave Harris is standing for election in the Berehcurch ward. The other candidates are Karen Chaplin (Lib Dem), Bevan Waghorn (Con) and John Clifton (Grn).