Boston Woman Fined for Fly-Tipping Next to Charity Clothing Bank
A local woman has expressed her outrage after being fined £400 for alleged fly-tipping. Amy-Louise May left a bag of clothing and bedding next to a charity recycling bank outside her local Asda store in Boston when she claimed the containers were full. However, Boston Borough Council disputes her claim, stating the banks were emptied two hours before her visit.
A Difficult Dilemma
Amy, a 29-year-old support worker, insists that the clothing banks were full upon her visit on August 31. Shock turned to distress when she received a letter demanding payment of £400 for fly-tipping, an amount she believes she will struggle to afford. She stated, "How can you penalise someone for trying to do good? It's not like I've just got a load of rubbish and chucked it there. I was disgusted when I got the letter. I had a breakdown. Life has been hard for me as it is. I've got my home to pay for and my car to pay for. It's either I pay that or I pay my rent. No matter what I'm in a bad situation."
Council's Zero-tolerance Approach
The council, however, sticks by its decision to issue the fine, stressing its zero-tolerance policy on fly-tipping. Councillor Callum Butler, Boston Borough Council's environmental portfolio holder, defended the sanction, emphasizing that clear signs have been installed to warn offenders about penalties for littering. He said, "The clothing banks were emptied on 31 August 2023 two hours prior to the fly-tipping offence. The council has a zero tolerance to fly-tipping and clear signage is installed at recycling bring banks to advise people that any waste left outside containers on the ground will be considered as fly-tipping."
The Boston Borough Council utilises the services of Enfortis, a private security firm, to monitor activity at the recycling bank with CCTV footage. This company helps identify offenders whose vehicles are caught leaving waste beyond the approved containers.