WAVERLEY leader Julia Potts has voiced “real concerns” that fly-tipping will increase following changes to community recycling centres (CRC) due to be implemented in December.

Surrey County Council’s cabinet agreed to axe the free daily allowance of chargeable non-household waste, such as rubble, plasterboard and soil, in September.

At some waste tips, residents will also have to prove they live in Surrey in order to dispose of their rubbish from December 4.

Further restrictions come into force from January 8, when opening house at most recycling centres will be reduced and vans, trailers and pick-ups will not be allowed into all sites.

The county council says the changes will enable it to make savings while ‘still maintaining a comprehensive service for its residents,’ but borough councillors fear it will lead to more illegal dumping.

Responding to concerns raised by Waverley’s “watchdog” environment and overview scrutiny committee at its last executive meeting, Miss Potts said: “I have real concerns about fly-tipping.

“I know the borough council is liaising with its contractors so it can be very clear when reporting incidents to our Surrey colleagues.

“At the moment, we are all convinced fly-tipping is happening – but we need more robust data to back up our case.

“We are all seeing fly tipping across the borough. We have got some ways, including mobile CCTV, of becoming more robust to make sure it incidents are actioned and we are drawing on more officers.”

Cranleigh councillor Kevin Deans said: Good data means better targeted enforcement.”

Anti-fly tipping campaigners Junk Hunters have launched the new service as a direct response to new Government figures, which revealed more than a million incidents of fly-tipping in a single year.

Fly tipping in England cost councils £58 million to clear up from 2016 to 2017, according to the new figures and two thirds of illegally dumped waste came from private households.

The most common amount fly tipped was a “small van load”, comprising 33 per cent of all incidents, followed by “car boot” at 27 per cent.

Keen to help tackle the problem, rubbish removal company Junk Hunters, has launched a hotline number - 0800 2335865 – aimed not at reporting incidents, but at helping anyone who finds themselves with more trash than they can fit into their wheelie bins.

“When you think of what local authorities could do with £58million, it’s eye watering to think it’s being wasted on dealing with illegal dumping,” said Junk Hunters founder Harsha Rathnayake.

He said: “We had to do something about it and since it’s so easy to find a rubbish removal solution, we decided to set up this hotline to help tackle the problem at the root.

“What we are saying to anyone tempted to dump waste is, ‘Please just stop for a moment and give us a call to see what we can do.’

“Fly-tipping is an increasing problem with many people struggling to dispose of large items like furniture or white goods, and it’s only going to get worse as Christmas gets closer.

“We know many people aren’t satisfied with their local authority’s response to rubbish removal, or think it’s too much hassle trying to get through to someone in the council to help.

“People can call the hotline for help in getting rid of their waste, legally and as easily as possible.

“Local authorities are pretty cash-strapped these days and if people are concerned about their own council’s responses to waste removal, it doesn’t make any sense to cost them even more in cleaning up fly tipping. Nobody wants to get hit with a fine for it either.”