FLY-tippers have today been put on notice that Mid Suffolk District Council is serious about cleaning up its streets.The council's latest success in the battle against illegal dumping has led to two formal cautions.

FLY tippers have today been put on notice that Mid Suffolk District Council is serious about cleaning up its streets.

The council's latest success in the battle against illegal dumping has led to two formal cautions.

A Stowmarket worker was cautioned after he was caught leaving bags of waste from a Stowupland Road office on a footpath in the town.

Liam Bevis, who works for Flare Recruitment, left black bags containing waste from the business on the footpath on his way home from work in October.

Investigations into the contents of the bags led council officers to the company and Mr Bevis.

Mid Suffolk District Council issued formal cautions to Mr Bevis and to Flare Recruitment, which admitted failing to provide appropriate waste management provisions at their Stowmarket offices, under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.

A spokesman for Flare Recruitment said the bags were left on the street in error.

"It was a genuine one-off mistake by a sub-contractor (who is) an employee in his first full-time job who was totally unaware that he'd done wrong.

"Steps have been taken to ensure no such occurrence can ever happen again."

The company now has an industrial bin located on its premises to ensure its rubbish is disposed correctly.

Mid Suffolk District Council's portfolio holder for public services councillor Eddie Alcock said the cautions showed the council's commitment to winning the war against fly tippers.

"The council take the matter of fly tipping and littering very seriously and actively pursues offenders.

"Waste disposal is the last thing to be thought about by some businesses, but this case proves how important it is that all businesses ensure they have proper procedures in place in order to keep within the law and avoid needless situations such as this blighting our local environment and diverting valuable council resources."

Mark Mathews, the investigating officer for Mid Suffolk District Council, added: "We fully intend to make life as awkward as possible for the small minority of people who feel it is acceptable to blight the local countryside by fly tipping and littering."

Information about fly tippers can be passed to the council via the Mid Suffolk Streetcare helpline on 01449 778628.

Weblink: www.mid-suffolk-dc.gov.uk

What measures do you think should be used to stop fly tippers? Write to Your Letters, Evening Star, 30 Lower Brook Street, Ipswich, IP4 1AN or send us an e-mail to eveningstarletters@eveningstar.co.uk.