COMPANIES are flytipping on sites around Worcester to avoid paying landfill charges, a district councillor claims.

Wychavon Councillor Andrew Christian-Brookes believes the only way to solve the problem of flytipping is to abolish the landfill tax to reduce the charge companies have to pay to dump in landfills.

"Not a month goes by when I do not receive complaints from constituents in Wychavon and the borders with the city concerned about the potential harmful mess deposited by professional flytippers," said Coun Christian-Brookes.

"The individuals who perpetrate these crimes have no respect for the community or the countryside and its people."

He said the police had difficulty in prosecuting the people responsible for flytipping because they had to be caught actually tipping the rubbish.

"Just the other day I found what looked like the side of a flat bed truck dumped in a ditch at Cutnall Green, garden waste in two field gateways and bundles of wire dropped carelessly by the roadside in Hindlip," he said.

"I have just been to Offerton Lane in Warndon and it is absolutely appalling.

Moral obligation

"At a greater level lorry loads of soil are being transported and tipped on farmland to avoid paying charges."

Not only does this create a problem for people in the area but it also creates a problem for the local authorities.

"Wychavon and no doubt the City of Worcester have a moral obligation to tidy up the mess left by traders.

"The cost of staff time, vehicles, fuel and payment of landfill tax have been shifted as a burden on local ratepayers."

The landfill charge varies depending on the type of waste being dumped.

According to Severn Waste in Evesham brick and rubble waste costs £21 a ton to dump, £12 of which is landfill tax.

"Therefore, a three-and-a-half ton flat bed truck tipper depositing waste in a gateway avoids paying £73.50 for builder's waste, added on to that VAT and it is £86.36," said Coun Christian-Brookes.

"Clearly the landfill tax is costing local ratepayers more than the tax being collected by the Government and we cannot go on with this situation indefinitely."

Coun Christian-Brookes said he would be writing to Mid-Worcestershire MP Peter Luff to try and bring pressure on the Government to abolish the tax. "Why should the people of Worcester and Wychavon have to pay for flytipping?" he said.