CENTRAL Devon MP Mel Stride has welcomed new measures to crack down on fly-tipping.

Currently, householders have a responsibility for ensuring anyone they pay to dispose of their rubbish is a certified waste carrier, which can be done by asking to see the carrier’s certificate or by visiting the Environment Agency website and checking their business name or registration number via a simple search.

Those without internet access can telephone 0370 850 6506.

From early 2019, householders could be fined up to £400 if they do not exercise this responsibility and organise someone to dispose of their rubbish only for that person to then tip it.

Mr Stride said: “The vast majority of people who pay licensed carriers to dispose of their waste are responsible and ensure they are using a certified company who will do it properly.

“There are a minority who do not properly check and are happy to pay cash to someone they don’t know and whose credentials they haven’t checked and assume they deal with it legally.

“I hope the new penalties will incentivise greater diligence and can help reduce fly-tipping incidents, protecting our countryside and saving council tax payers money.”

After increases in fly-tipping each year since 2013/14, figures recently released for 2017-18 show a small decrease with incidents involving household waste down by four per cent and fly-tipping on highways down by seven per cent.

However, instances of criminal gangs collecting a significant amount of rubbish from someone only to tip it are continuing to rise which cost councils tens of millions of pounds a clear in clear-ups.