Lib Dems pledge £5k rewards for illegal waste tip-offs

The Liberal Democrats say they would pay cash rewards of up to £5,000 for tip-offs that lead to successful prosecutions of criminals illegally dumping waste.

The party says the payouts would help council enforcement officers tackle the "environmental emergency" posed by fly-tipping.

It also says it would "encourage" local authorities to charge only £5 for bulky waste collections, to incentivise households to dispose of waste responsibly.

The Lib Dems say the reduced charges could be paid for by increasing fines for fly-tippers, with the minimum sanction raised to £2,500.

The party has made tackling fly-tipping a key campaign issue ahead of local elections in England next month, arguing that tougher action is required to tackle an "epidemic" of illegal waste dumping across the country.

The number of fly-tipping incidents dealt with by local councils in England increased by 9% to 1.26m last year, according to government statistics, with the cost of large-scale clear-ups standing at £19.3m.

The Environment Agency, which is responsible for dealing with the largest and most hazardous waste dumps, said it dealt with 98 incidents last year.

High-profile cases have hit the headlines in recent months, including giant 21,000 tonne waste tip in Oxfordshire that is costing taxpayers £7.3m to clear.

Under the party's plans, people would be paid "cash rewards" of up to £5,000 for information that leads to the successful prosecution of criminals dumping waste.

A number of councils in England have introduced tip-off schemes, although the rewards are much lower than those being proposed by the Lib Dems.

Labour-run Merton council in London pays residents £100 for witness reports that result in a fine, rising to £200 if a case proceeds to court. Conservative-run East Hampshire District Council offers rewards of up to £500.

Labour-run Greenwich offers £100 on a prepaid card for photos or video footage of suspected fly-tippers, dubbed "People of Binterest" by the council.

The Lib Dems say they would encourage local authorities to set bulky waste collection fees at £5, which it said would reduce fly-tipping by lowering the costs and inconvenience of properly disposing of household waste.

Councils in England and Wales typically charge around £30 to £40 to pick up items big items, although some do collections for free.

The party also wants the National Crime Agency to take over the most serious incidents from the Environment Agency, and would set the minimum fine at £2,500, five times the current average of £539.