FLY-tipping is blighting the whole of the Tees Valley and beyond. What’s more, it’s getting worse.

Unfortunately, the punishment does not fit the crime.

At present, there’s a fixed penalty of £400 which fails to carry a criminal conviction.

And, of course, motorised professional fly-tippers can get away with dozens of offences, at £100 a time, before they get caught.

There was a slight improvement from January when the government extended the penalty to ‘customers’ who, knowingly, or otherwise, have their rubbish fly-tipped.

But, because fly-tipping is such a massive national problem, the government should go much further and pay councils to accept all rubbish free of charge, thereby minimising the temptation to dump illegally.

For the idiots who continue, fly-tipping should be a criminal offence, carrying a minimum £1,000 fine plus a one-year driving ban.

Steve Kay, Redcar & Cleveland councillor.