WASTE bosses say the battle against illegal tipping across North Yorkshire continues as they clamp down on cross border rubbish dumping.

The county council runs 20 waste disposal sites with three mobile units across the region. Last year they were used 1.2m times coping with over 60,000 tonnes of rubbish, nearly 70 per cent of which was recycled.

Councillors on the Hambleton area committee had asked for a report on the latest situation after growing concerns over fly tipping, and the effect of charges at waste sites for rubble, and builders waste and changes in opening hours.

One problem was at Stokesley where special permits were brought in by the county council for over 8.500 local residents, so they could continue dumping household rubbish for free. This was to stop people from neighbouring authorities; Redcar and Cleveland, Middlesbrough and Stockton from using the site after the council’s refused to contribute to running costs.

The authority also saved £20,000 after introducing charges for the disposal of tyres after more than 20,000 were dumped in one year.

Waste manager Tony Norris told councillors usage at Stokesley had gone down by 26 per cent which indicated the amount of waste from outside the area being brought in. He said complaints of fly tipping and illegal tipping were difficult to quantify and they are monitoring them, but education was the most important thing.

In one of the latest incidents a bed had been dumped at Scholla Lane in Northallerton, but Mr Norris said as with sofas these were not things charged for at sites.

He said with CCTV they were able to monitor dumping at waste station gates when sites were closed. “Fly tipping is very difficult to quantify, there has been some increase but it is difficult to see trends. There have been a few particular incidents and the public are sensitive to it.

“Fly tipping isn’t the councils fault, it is the person who says I am not going to pay I am going to do the wrong thing. We can never please everybody and we have had complaints about the hours we are open, but it is six days a week. I am sure there are times when people just think we will chuck it in the hedge rather than take it.”

Committee chairman councillor Heather Moorhouse said they had to continue monitoring illegal tipping, particularly from other areas. Councillor David Blades also warned people had to ensure rubbish was removed by licensed people.