PEOPLE guilty of fly-tipping offences in Blaenau Gwent should be “named and shamed” a senior councillor has said.

At a meeting of Blaenau Gwent County Borough Council on Thursday, November 24 councillors agreed a number of changes to policy that governs the work of Public Protection and Environmental Enforcement Services

This will ensure that the council staff are up to date with legislation that deals with a number of areas including fly-tipping, waste collection litter and dog controls food hygiene, pollution, and trading standards.

Deputy council leader and cabinet member for the Environment, Cllr Helen Cunningham said: “It’s a huge range that the team works on.

“This policy went out to consultation back in the summer between July 25 and August 19, it also went to the Place scrutiny committee who supported the new policy.”

Cabinet member for Social Services, Cllr Haydn Trollope supported the policy and wanted to see it enforced.

Cllr Trollope: “When we do prosecutions, we need to get it in to the local press and show that we want to make Blaenau Gwent a better place to live and work.”

Cllr Lisa Winnett added that she received “countless” phone-calls from residents wanting to see people prosecuted for fly-tipping.

Cllr Julie Holt said that Abertillery was a hot spot for fly-tipping and more “hard-hitting” action is needed to deal with the culprits.

Cllr Holt said: “I’d like to see people named and shamed, and CCTV that can be moved around the hotspots to catch people red handed.”

“Fly-tipping and littering is absolutely abhorrent and these irresponsible people should be brought to book.”

Cllr Malcolm Cross wanted to see volunteers who pick litter and clean up areas of Blaenau Gwent formally thanked by the council for their work.

“We really appreciate the job they are doing,” said Cllr Cross.

Presiding member, Cllr Chris Smith said: “I intend getting all of these people together with our officers to the GO (General Office) if not before Christmas, then in the New Year, and I’ll keep members informed.”

Cllr George Humphreys added that educating people about the effects of fly-tipping is as important as naming and shaming them.

Cllr Humphreys pointed out that Japan supporters had stayed behind to help clean up a football stadium in Qatar following their victorious World Cup match against Germany.

Cllr Cunningham responded to the comments and said that fly-tipping prosecutions had been covered in the press and those responsible had: “been named as part of that process.”

Cllr Cunningham added that CCTV is a “key tool” to combat fly-tipping and had been used to catch people and that 40 – £400 penalty notices had been issued since April.