A COUNCIL is set to invest £174,000 to combat flytipping.

Basildon Council’s corporate resources committee will decide whether to increase the number of enforcement officers from three to five and whether to install CCTV cameras at flytipping hotspots.

The proposals are included within a street scene education and enforcement report which notes current resources are “inadequate” with officers required to prioritise where to act as they don’t have time to deal with all the incidents.

Recently they have had to tackle a growing number of abandoned cars which has reduced their ability to take on flytipping, according to the report.

Councillor Stuart Sullivan, chairman of the committee, said: “We understand most residents do the right thing with their waste to keep neighbourhoods clean and tidy, but unfortunately there are a small minority who can let parts of the borough down.

“Through a targeted allocation of additional resources, we hope to educate, and then enforce, in order to promote neighbourhoods that are pleasant to live in or visit.

“We are committed to ensuring those who flytip are held to account and having extra support and evidence will help us to identify and prosecute the perpetrators.”

The report states the implementation of CCTV has been requested by several residents but is unlikely to have an impact in residential areas. Instead it will be concentrated in more remote and rural locations which need to be accessed using a vehicle.

The surveillance will initially be regarded as a trial.

The cost of the new CCTV cameras are expected to cost £10,000, while the two enforcement officers will be funded for two years at a cost of £164,000 including vehicles, fuel and equipment.

The committee will meet tomorrow to discuss the plan.