Councils are urging magistrates to come down harder on fly-tippers who end up in court.

Writing to the Magistrates Association, 13 Kent councils have demanded clearer understanding of how sentences are determined and what can be done to achieve harsher punishments for offenders.

Concerns have also be raised about the role of organised crime groups in this type of environmental crime and how money made from fly-tipping can be used to fund other criminal activities.

Anyone convicted of fly-tipping can be fined up to a maximum of £50,000 and be jailed for up to five years – but such punishments are rarely dished out.

Sevenoaks District Council (SDC) was among the authorities who signed the letter, which was sent by the councils via the Kent Resource Partnership (KRP) yesterday.

Cllr Margot McArthur, the SDC cabinet member for environmental issues, said: "We are very proud to have an in-house fly-tipping investigation team who work incredibly hard to bring people who dump waste to justice.

"Fly-tipping is not tolerated in our district and we would welcome greater punishments as a further deterrent to fly-tippers."

A Keep Kent Clean campaign against illegal disposal of waste was launched earlier this year .

It is believed more than 90% of fly-tipped waste in the county could have been disposed of for free at one of the 18 Kent County Council household waste recycling centres or from a kerbside collection by the local council.

Cllr Nick Kenton, chairman of the KRP, said: "Before engaging with the Magistrates Association, Kent councils took forward a mini-review to see what levels of punishment were being handed to fly-tippers in Kent over the past year.

"The results showed there was a clear gap on what maximum levels of punishment could be given compared to the actual punishments. We truly believe to stop fly-tipping, greater punishment needs to be placed on those who commit these crimes.

"We hope working together with the Magistrates Association will better equip us to prosecuting fly-tippers and keep Kent clean."

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