Action has been taken to prevent “selfish” fly-tippers from dumping waste near a park.

Swale council says it regularly has to clear up rubbish from Swale Way, behind Milton Creek Country Park in Sittingbourne.

Its isolated location, where fly-tipping has been a problem for years, meant it was difficult to catch the culprits.

As a result, a new fence and metal bollards have been installed by the council and Kent Highways.

The area has also been cleared of all fly-tipping and with these new measures, illegal waste carriers will no longer be able to access it with their vehicles.

Three CCTV cameras, funded by the government’s Rural Payments Agency (RPA), were installed in other fly-tipping hotspots around the borough.

They are monitored 24/7 by the council’s CCTV control room.

Last March, it was announced the maximum penalty for serious rubbish dumping offences would be increased to £1,000.

Cllr Rich Lehmann, chairman of the environment and climate change committee, said: “Fly-tipping is simply unacceptable and we have been undertaking a range of activities to tackle this incredibly selfish act.

“Whether installing cameras, doing joint operations or working with other agencies to implement preventative measures like these bollards and fencing.

“The fact people believe they can just dump their waste anywhere – especially near a country park – is unthinkable to me.

“Not only does it damage and pollute our environment, but the bill for clearing it up ends up sitting with the taxpayer.

“Please be wary of cheap waste removal companies, make sure they are licensed and provide a waste transfer note.

“If fly-tipping is tracked back to you it could be very costly.

“We will continue to implement measures to crack down on, and clean up, fly-tipping but we need to work together to stop this waste from ending up in our countryside from the source.”

Cllr Neil Baker, Kent County Council’s (KCC) cabinet member for highways and transport, added: “I am pleased that, by working with Swale council, we have successfully implemented measures that prevent illegal fly-tipping near Milton Creek Country Park.

“Fly-tipping is a serious offence that damages our environment and leads to significant cleanup costs.

“The new fencing and metal bollards, installed by KCC, will ensure that illegal waste carriers can no longer dump waste in this area.”

Fly-tippers often target households via social media or local advertising and lure customers in with cheap rates.

People found to be using criminals to dispose of their waste can and are being prosecuted with fixed penalty notices (FPN).

Failure to pay an FPN may result in court action where fines can be significantly larger.

The council is asking householders to check whether someone is licensed to carry waste by visiting the Environment Agency website, or by calling 03708 506506.