Fly-tipping in Gospel Oak

• IN the correspondence about the roll-out of the new rubbish collection, what is ignored is the growing “professional” fly-tipping.

These are rogue elements who collect for a hefty “fee” loads of rubbish from individuals, shops or builders, and then dump it. The photograph shows the seventh such dump in Gospel Oak in the same small road so far this year.

Yes, Veolia do remove it but at what cost to residents? The “fine” imposed by the council is only £200, probably less than 20 per cent of the “fees” per load collected by the tippers.

Yes, there is a higher level of £,2,500 but one wonders how many culprits have been caught. In the case of the dump site in the photo, there was a CCTV camera only yards away and the registration number of a vehicle concerned reported to the council.

But it was only after repeated pressure over many weeks by residents and the efforts of our councillor that officers took action. We still do not know whether the culprits were fined or even caught.

What is needed is a high profile prosecution with attendant publicity to deter the practice. Also a notice of CCTV surveillance at popular dump sites would help.

MICK FARRANT, NW5