The Country Land and Business Association (CLA) has welcomed Andy Burnham’s pledge to crackdown on organised waste gangs, but warned real action must be seen on the ground. You can read the government’s announcement here.
Harriet Ranson, Regional Director, CLA North, said: “We have argued for years that organised waste gangs should be treated like organised criminals, so stronger police involvement, better intelligence sharing and seizing the vehicles and assets they rely on are all steps in the right direction.
“But our members have heard promises of crackdowns before, and fines and new powers will only deter criminals if they believe they will actually be caught. We will judge this by what happens on the ground, from prosecutions to vehicle seizures and the confiscation of criminal assets.
“There is still a glaring injustice for farmers who can wake up to a lorry-load of waste dumped on their land and then be left paying to clear up somebody else’s crime. Innocent landowners should not be left carrying that cost.”
