Royton Councillor Lewis Quigg is demanding tougher penalties and a public crackdown on fly-tippers he says are treating Oldham’s “Don’t Trash Oldham” campaign as a free waste-collection service.

The Conservative representative for Royton North told the council that repeat offenders are dumping rubbish in back alleys and farmers’ fields, confident the authority will eventually clear it for them. “Residents across Oldham regularly post online about hot spots,” Quigg said. “It seems that those who have no respect for where they live are now regularly throwing rubbish into backings, knowing full well the Council will come and clear it up when someone who does care about it finally reports the issue.”

Quigg claimed some unscrupulous collectors are being paid to remove waste, then simply abandoning it in alleys behind terraces with high tenant turnover. “In particular properties that have backings with high tenancy turnovers and most shockingly some are being paid to take rubbish away only to dump it in backings knowing the Council will come and clear it up. It’s a don’t pay take it away service.”

He warned that quiet rural roads and private farmland are also being targeted, leaving landowners to foot clean-up bills. “It is time the Council made a big push to name and shame these criminals and made a big push on enforcement, as they have to send a message to those who commit this crime, that enough really is enough.”

Quigg said the money currently spent removing fly-tipped waste could instead fill 8,462 potholes, clean almost 50,000 highway gullies or pay the wages of 20 refuse or park staff. Oldham Council has been asked to comment.

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