Angus Council has been accused of raising the white flag in the war on fly-tipping.
Rogue dumpers blighting beauty spots by illegally dumping rubbish in Angus are getting away without punishment.
Figures released under freedom of information found just two fixed penalty notices have been issued for fly-tipping in Angus in the past five years – despite 1,870 incidents being recorded.
Community groups taking up the litter fight in Angus described the figures as “shocking” and slammed the lack of action.
Angus Council said all fly-tipping events are investigated but it struggles to find the evidence required to take enforcement action.
Ralph Coutts of Angus Litter Through The Lens said: “This is everything we feared.
“It seems the frontline of the fight is a white flag. I call for Angus Council to be a leader in adopting new approaches to the county’s litter problem.
“The approach they are taking is inept and is costing us millions. Black light trail cameras are now very small and easy to conceal and can be placed at fly-tipping hot spots. I would even buy the council two of them if it’s down to money.”
There were 415 incidents in 2016; 373 in 2015; 368 in 2014; 347 in 2013; and 367 in 2012.
Fixed penalty notices were given out in each of the past two years but no fines were issued in 2014, 2013 and 2012.
A fixed penalty notice can be issued on the spot to people caught flytipping but fines of up to £40,000 can be imposed by a sheriff if the case is taken to court.
Wendy Murray from the Angus Litter Summit group said: “The fixed penalty enforcement figures are really shocking.
“Without enforcement the issue of fly-tipping will get worse and not better.
“Local authorities have a duty to investigate each and every occurrence of fly-tipping and issue Fixed Penalty Notices if they are able to identify the culprits.
“However, the standards of evidence required to issue FPNs are rigourous.
“Therefore, the Angus Litter Summit group would like to see local authorities issue public alerts immediately after fly-tipping incidents have occurred and also publish the details of their investigations.
“Only by publishing information and intelligence about fly-tipping will communities be able to support the gathering of evidence and expose those who are guilty of damaging our environment.”
North East region Conservative MSP Bill Bowman said: “The continuing rise of fly-tipping across Angus is very disappointing, but it is not alone in this nationally.
“The first Angus Litter Summit has identified some areas in which local thinking could be more joined up.
“Any community help to prevent the spread of this blight on the landscape will save the council money it can ill afford to spend.”
A boom in so-called white van services on social media has been linked with the high levels of fly-tipping throughout Scotland – now at a rate of about 1,200 incidents a week.
A spokeswoman for Angus Council said: “All fly-tipping events are investigated however unfortunately it can be difficult to find the evidence required to take enforcement action.
“We are grateful to local community groups and residents who are becoming increasingly disheartened by those who illegally dispose of their waste in laybys and beauty spots across Angus, and who are providing us with more and more useful information which can lead to fly-tippers being caught – for example, if the number plate from a vehicle involved in fly-tipping is provided to us along with a witness statement, this is great evidence.
“We have no information to suggest that residents are dissatisfied with the waste collection services available to them.
“On the contrary, our survey carried out following the trial introduction of the grey mixed recycling bin showed that residents were very happy with the scheme, with 96% of the 5226 residents surveyed being either satisfied or very satisfied with their grey bin.
“With regard to recycling centre provision, recent changes to opening times in October do not appear to have had any effect on the number of fly-tipping events in 2017, with the average number of incidents from October – December is marginally lower than the average for the rest of the year.
“Fly-tipping is an illegal act for which there is no excuse – Angus Council offers a recycling centre in each of its towns, providing an easy way for householders or businesses to get rid of their bulky items.
“In addition we offer a bulky uplift service for both parties, and where relevant, commercial traders can use our landfill site.
“Fly-tipping causes misery to private landowners who have to clear the mess up at their own cost, and means that local authorities have to clear public ground using funds that could have been better spent elsewhere.”