Scot Lib Dems reveal 284,762 flytipping reports but just 51 passed to prosecutors

Scottish Liberal Democrat communities spokesperson Willie Rennie MSP has today called for measures to help those whose properties bear the brunt of flytipping clear up the mess after research by his party revealed that of the 284,762 flytipping reports made to local authorities since 2019/20, just 51 were referred to the Procurator Fiscal.

Freedom of information requests submitted by the Scottish Liberal Democrats to local authorities revealed:

• 284,762 flytipping incidents were reported between 2019/20 and 2022/23.    
• Of these, just 51 were referred to the Procurator Fiscal and only 3,317 fixed penalty notices were issued.
• Glasgow City Council reported the highest number of incidents with 88,357 across all four years but issued just 335 notices.    
• Since 2019/20, only seven local authorities have passed cases to the Procurator Fiscal and only two (East Dunbartonshire and North Lanarkshire) had obtained a conviction.

Mr Rennie said:      

“Flytippers are increasingly brazen. From back lanes to main roads most communities across Scotland are blighted by other people’s rubbish.    

“It’s ugly, dirty and smelly, yet only a tiny fraction of cases ever result in a fine or a trip to court.    

“I am relieved that, after years of pressure from my party, the government has finally increased the level of fines available. However, there is still a fundamental unfairness in the system which leaves farmers and other owners with the responsibility for clearing up waste dumped on their properties.    

“More needs to be done to clamp down on this disgusting behaviour and to ensure that repeat offenders feel the full force of the law.

“Alongside a robust fixed penalty system, Scottish Liberal Democrats want to see the introduction of a new restitution order, enabling the courts to require contributions from offenders to cleaning up their mess. These contributions could then go towards a new national fund which would help support farmers and all those who bear the brunt of flytipping.”