Skip hire boss defiant after court victory (From The Northern Echo)

Skip hire boss defiant after court victory

6:28pm Wednesday 22nd February 2012 in Darlington By Vicki Henderson, Darlington reporter

THE owner of a skip hire firm has vowed to continue with his business after winning a High Court battle against the taxman, despite facing the loss of his permit to transfer waste.

A winding up order against Albert Hill Skip Hire, based in Dodsworth Street, in Darlington, was dismissed by the Chancery Division of the High Court, in London, on Monday after the court heard that outstanding tax owed to HM Revenue and Customs had been paid.

The company has been subject to a number of legal challenges over its operating practices and faces having its licence to transfer waste revoked by the Environment Agency on March 9, subject to a right of appeal.

If the permit is revoked, the company will no longer be able to legally operate its waste transfer station at St Nicholas Industrial Estate.

Antony Shepherd, who owns the company, said he is continuing to operate his business and that he is appealing the application to revoke his permit.

He said: “I’ve had customers calling me up and asking what’s going on but I’m still in business. The enforcement notice does not come into force until March 9. I’m appealing that enforcement notice.

“As for the winding up order, the court judgement says that the taxes have been paid and the case is dismissed.”

A spokesman for the Environment Agency said: “We suspended the permit for Albert Hill Skip Hire in July last year. It is still suspended but we issued a revocation notice which does not take effect until March 9.

“That means they have a permit but it is suspended, so they cannot take any waste on to the site, but they can take steps to make the site workable. They can treat waste that is already on the site but they can’t take anything else on there.”

The enforcement action by the Environment Agency came to light following a raid on the company by agency officers and police earlier this month.

Three people were arrested in connection with offences under the Environmental Permitting Regulations 2010 and bailed.