Oil, cars and even a throne are just some of the things being dumped around Shepway, a meeting heard.

Action has now been called to ramp up Shepway District Council’s work to tackle fly-tipping in the district.

Cllr Mary Lawes, leader of the Ukip group on Shepway council, raised the issue at the last meeting, during opposition business.

She told the meeting: “It’s a bugbear of mine and a serious issue and something we need to be addressing.

“Fly-tipping blights towns and incurs huge costs on local taxpayers and local businesses.”

She highlighted the woodland around Smallpox Hill and Dover Road as particular fly-tipping hotspots.

“It’s a bugbear of mine and a serious issue and something we need to be addressing. Fly-tipping blights towns and incurs huge costs on local taxpayers and local businesses." Cllr Mary Lawes

“The waste is building rubble and wood. It’s cars and motorbikes,” she added.

“It’s amazing how they get them up there. There’s a problem on the eco-system – there’s oil and batteries.

“I can talk about an area of Dover Road and it’s happening on a daily basis.

“I pity the people that live there. It has its waste problem but perhaps people can’t afford to dispose of them properly. It costs £30, which is a big amount of their income.”

Councillors heard of the constant issues of white goods and sofas being left in the areas around Dover Road.

Cllr Dick Pascoe (Con) said he had “a certain amount of sympathy” for Cllr Lawes’s position as he often walked his dog around Smallpox Hill.

He said there were interesting finds, including a throne.

“One of the things Cllr Lawes talked about is good practice,” he added. “I’ve put a camera in the front of my car. So if you are going along those country lanes carry a camera and take photos because they are ashamed.”

He recalled discovering a van driver dumping rubbish who, after being spotted, picked up the waste and moved off.

Cllr Lawes said she had sent cabinet member for environment Cllr Stuart Peall hundreds of pictures of fly-tipping on her walks.

Cllr Peall said the council issued 15 fixed penalty notices between August 2014 and August 2015 with a further 10 being issued up to November 5.

Ukip won the vote with cross party support from Conservatives and Labour’s single councillor to agree to examine the issue as part of a scrutiny programme.