THE number of fly-tipping incidents recorded in Barnsley climbed by 13 per cent in the last year, latest figures have revealed.
Figures from the Department for Environment Food and Rural Affairs show 4,980 fly-tipping incidents were reported in Barnsley in the year to March 2024 – up from 4,404 the year before.
Fly-tipping in Barnsley was most common on footpaths or bridgeways – 34 per cent – while household waste accounted for 76 per cent of the illegally dumped rubbish reports.
The DEFRA figures also reveal a slight drop in the number of enforcement actions, with fixed-penalty notices dropping five per cent. This includes 28 notices issued in Barnsley.
Adam Hug, environment spokesman for the Local Government Association, said: “Councils are working tirelessly to counter the thousands of incidents every year and are determined to crack down on the problem.
“We continue to urge the government to review sentencing guidelines for fly-tipping so that offenders are given bigger fines for more serious offences to act as a deterrent.
“Manufacturers should also contribute to the costs to councils of clear-up, by providing more take-back services so people can hand in sofas, old furniture and mattresses when they buy new ones.”
