Petition calls on Lancashire County Council to scrap tip charges

The petition, which has 51 signatures and was launched by Hyndburn’s Labour MP Graham Jones, has the backing of Ingol Community Association .

It says the changes would cut fly-tipping and is encouraging local residents to sign an e-petition on the council’s website entitled Scrap Household Tip Charges.

The council currently asks residents to apply for a permit to scrap 10 600 mm X 900 mm bags or individual items of ‘inert waste’ after which they are charged £3.50 per bag or item.

The petition urges the council to abolish limits and ‘scrap the permit system.’

Gordon Wang, joint chairman of the Ingol Community Association said: “It’s encouraging fly tipping...it’s just ridiculous.

“People have things done to their house, it’s just normal household waste basically - why do you have to pay?”

Locally there has been a particular problem with fly-tipping on Cottam Lane and now the association is moving to prevent vehicles accessing the local bridleway.

Fellow joint chairman Bill McGrath said £9,500 of association funds had been allocated to install a new drop barrier and three security cameras.

Council deputy leader Coun Albert Atkinson said:“We are not aware of any evidence that there has been an increase in the overall amount of fly-tipping since the policy was introduced.”

The petition is open until September 12.