Brent Police and council StreetCare officers join forces in operation

A four hour operation to catch suspected fly tippers took place today in the borough.

Brent Council’s StreetCare team, 10 police officers and six PCSOs joined forces in Harrow Road, Kensal Green, to catch illegal waste dumpers and drivers without a license.

StreetCare officers inspected 16 vehicles and issued five dual notices to drivers asking them to produce documents, within two weeks, to the council showing where they’re taking their waste.

The police seized at least two vehicles, one man was fined �60 and given three points on his license for driving an unroadworthy van and dozens of other vehicles were inspected.

On average, unlicensed waste carriers dump between four and seven tonnes of waste a time.

To put this into perspective, it costs Brent Council �450 to clear up four tonnes of commercial waste.

It takes around 20 minutes to check a vehicle thoroughly and there council carries out about six events like this each year in different locations.

There are 7,800 businesses in Brent of which 1,500 are inspected each year.

An estimated one tonne of business waste ends up in landfill every day, costing Brent Council up to �500,000.

John McSwan, enforcement officer for Brent Council StreetCare, said: “This is where we work well. When we work closely with the safer neighbourhood teams we’re very productive.”

He urged people to be aware of their domestic duty of care.

He added: “If somebody turns up at your door asking to take your rubbish and asking for money you should ask three questions: Are you a waste license carrier? Where are you taking the waste? And can you give me a receipt?”

Sergeant Day, of the Queens Park Safer Neighbourhood Team, supports drives such as this.

He said: “It sends a visible message to road users see us doing these things.

“It’s a working together for the same aim because we would not be able to do it ourselves.”

“Last week we arrested somebody for cannabis possession, a man wanted for assault and we seized four vehicles.”