More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Sofas, carpets and huge logs have been dumped in a country lane, but Kent County Council (KCC) says there has actually been a decrease of fly-tipping reports in the area.
The rubbish was discovered in Pratling Street, Aylesford yesterday and has been reported to Tonbridge and Malling Borough Council.
Removal of waste from the roads is KCC's responsibility, and the authority says it should be cleared today.
Despite tips being closed during lockdown and an apparent overall rise in fly-tipping across Kent, in Tonbridge and Malling the number of reports has fallen slightly.
Between March and April, there were 80 reports, compared to 102 for the same period last year.
According to KCC, this could be due to a number of reasons but perhaps its awareness campaign, Keep Kent Clean - alerting people to rogue traders taking waste off their hands for reduced fees and then dumping it on public ground - might have led to the slight reduction.
A spokesman for KCC added: "Our position is clear – most residents are law abiding and dispose of their waste appropriately and would never consider fly-tipping.
"There is still the need for residents to protect themselves from illegal waste carriers who target householders with cheap rates to take their rubbish away and then fly tip it.
"Any amount of fly-tipping is unacceptable and is a criminal offence. Where possible and safe to do so, all councils will continue to clear fly-tipping and indeed continue to investigate and take necessary enforcement action."
This incident comes as Kent's household waste and recycling centres get ready to reopen tomorrow morning.
A TMBC spokesman added: "I'm not sure the tips reopening will have any affect on fly-tipping in the area because the numbers aren't much different from this time last year. But clearly it is hoped it will help because any fly tipping is obviously too much fly tipping."
