Author: Sarah Heighton

A fly tipper has received a £300 fine after being tracked down by Hertsmere Borough Council’s environmental health team.

A member of public reported the dumped rubbish in Newberries Car Park, Radlett on 22 March.

A resident at an address in Potters Bar was served a £300 Fixed Penalty Notice (FPN). Another resident from Enfield has also received a written warning after using a rogue waste carrier who then dumped his or her household waste alongside.

Fly tipping is a serious crime that negatively affects residents, businesses and the local environment, as well as diverts valuable resources from the delivery of frontline services at a time when the council must continue to make efficiency savings.

Around two thirds of fly tips are household waste, so the council is reminding residents to dispose of their waste responsibly by using their kerbside waste and recycling bins, taking items to their local recycling centre, using the council’s bulky waste collection service, selling or donating unwanted items or using a registered waste carrier.

Householders can be issued with a £300 fixed penalty notice – reduced to £200 if paid within 10 days – or a criminal conviction in court if their domestic waste is fly tipped. Always use a registered waste carrier to collect your rubbish.

There are some simple steps – using the SCRAP mnemonic – you can take:

• Suspect all waste carriers; do not let them take your waste until they have proven themselves to be legitimate. A professional waste carrier should happily answer reasonable questions.
• Check their waste carrier registration details, then verify them by searching the Environment Agency website or by calling 03708 506 506. Note down the registration number of the vehicle used to take your waste away.
• Refuse unexpected offers to have any rubbish taken away. If you do not trust that someone who you have spoken to will be disposing of waste legally, report their vehicle registration and name to the Environment Agency.
• Ask what will happen to your rubbish and seek evidence that it is going to be disposed of appropriately.
• Paperwork should be obtained. Make sure you get a proper invoice, waste transfer note or a receipt for your waste removal. This should give a description of the waste and provide the waste carrier’s contact details.

Hertsmere is an active member of Hertfordshire Fly Tipping Group, a multi-agency taskforce set up to tackle fly tipping.

As part of the ‘Let’s SCRAP fly tipping’ countywide campaign we’re reminding Hertfordshire residents that if they see fly tipping in progress to call 999 immediately and report the incident using our online form – www.hertsmere.gov.uk/reportit – or calling our customer service team on 020 8207 2277.

For more information on how to dispose of your waste responsibly or find a registered waste carrier, please visit www.hertsmere.gov.uk/flytipping.

Learn about the signs and symptoms of cancer and understand why taking part in cancer screening is important at one of the free online Cancel Out Cancer sessions taking place over the next few months.

Cancel out Cancer is a programme designed to improve people’s awareness and understanding of cancer. The 60-minute volunteer-led sessions aim to encourage everyone to take action in improving their health. 

The online sessions will take place on Thursday 21 April from 3pm-4pm, Tuesday 17 May from 11am-12pm and Thursday 23 June from 3pm-4pm.

Join the sessions to learn to:

·       understand what cancer is and isn’t

·       get to know the signs and symptoms of cancer

·       know the value of screening

·       be positive about lifestyle changes that help reduce your risk

To book please visit Eventbrite here and to enquire about a session for yourself or your local community group or organisation, please email here.

A free community event is taking place in Borehamwood on Saturday 2 April – and you’re invited!

The Hertsmere Community Safety Partnership is inviting local residents to join them between 11am and 3pm at Brook Meadow Park to find out what the partnership does to support the local community, but also have fun.

At the event there will be free food, drink and entertainment, including face painting, games and sports – why not come along to meet friends, family and neighbours?

As well as free food, drink and fun activities, there will also be a wide range of partners on hand to offer help, advice and support.

Local officers and Police Community Support Officers will be on hand to offer crime prevention tips and seek residents’ views on police related issues in the area. The local volunteer Police Cadets will also be attending, so any young people with aspirations to join the force can hear more about becoming a cadet. At the event, there will be representatives from Herts Police, Hertsmere Borough Council, Clarion Housing, Herts Mind Network, OneYMCA, Leecliffe Big Local and many more.