BIN FLY-TIPPING: LAMBETH LIB DEMS LEAD FIGHT FOR CLEAN STREETS

Fewer than half of fly-tipping incidents reported to Lambeth Council are investigated. Only 6% are fined, according to new research by Lambeth’s Liberal Democrat Group.

In leading the fight against fly-tipping, overflowing bins and uncollected waste, the Liberal Democrats are putting the issues front and centre in a motion before Full Council on 14th October 2026.

The Lib Dem motion calls for all parties in the Town Hall to work together to improve the borough’s waste strategy. This includes:

• A mega-skip scheme, as promised in all three party manifestos
• Boosting enforcement against fly-tippers, including more CCTV
• Reviewing the number of public litter bins
• A comprehensive review of the waste collection contract to inform a new tender, with clear penalties for poor performance
• Rejecting any automatic rollover of the Serco waste contract for the full 8 years

Research by the Liberal Democrats shows that Lambeth has one bin per 512 residents, fewer than Southwark, Wandsworth, Merton, Croydon or Bromley. In neighbouring Southwark the figure is one bin per 282 residents.

In 2024-25 (the most recent year for which figures are available), Lambeth received 11,132 reports of fly-tipping. It investigated only 38% of these (4,232), and issued fines in just 6% (740) of cases.

Shockingly, only 25% of booked bulky waste collections took place on the agreed date.

Meanwhile, Lambeth’s fly-tipping fines are a maximum of £1,000 – just one fifth of the legal maximum fine of £5,000 (set by Parliament).

Specialist vehicles needed to clear underground “pods” were out of action for long periods during the heatwaves, so that bagged waste stacked up beside overflowing bins.

Other vehicle shortages led Serco to reduce promised fly-tipping clearances in some areas from three days a week, to just once a week.

Commenting, Liberal Democrat Councillor Simon Bucknall said:

“Fly-tipping has been a scourge on our community for far too long. We need proper Council resourcing for tougher enforcement. It’s also time the Council held the contractor Serco’s feet to the fire. That’s why we’re calling for a new, upgraded and stronger contract for waste management in Lambeth.”

Notes - The Liberal Democrat motion, Improving Lambeth’s Waste Strategy, is motion 5 in the papers for Full Council on 14 October 2026