A FRESH approach to tackling an escalating tide of fly-tipping across a district has been approved.

Hambleton District Council members said they hoped sweeping changes to its enforcement activities and policy would deter and help identify those endangering the health and safety of residents.

Last year the authority faced a bill of £44,000 for clearing up 293 incidents – compared to £23,000 the year before from 237 incidents.

Earlier this year, the authority revealed it had not prosecuted anyone for fly-tipping for three years due to evidence-gathering problems and, some offenders offering to pay costs.

The authority’s environmental health and waste boss, Councillor Stephen Watson told a meeting of the authority’s cabinet while no additional staff would be involved in tackling fly-tipping, technology was being harnessed.

Alongside the council’s own enforcement actions, it has also forged alliances with Trading Standards, the Environment Agency and police to share intelligence.

Action being taken includes siting more CCTV equipment at hotspots and fitting dash cameras to the small vehicle fleet to enforce littering from cars and aid evidence gathering. It is hoped online and mobile reporting systems for residents will be launched by 2020.

Cllr Watson said: “The vast majority of our residents don’t do flytipping so we need to understand who is doing and why they are doing it. If it is a case of someone paying to have rubbish taken away they need to ask if they have a permit for the local tip, can you see it, and to keep a note of who you’ve used.”