Just two fines were issued by Cheshire East Council for fly-tipping last year, it has been revealed.
A Freedom of Information request to the council showed that in 2019/20, two fines were issued but only one was paid.
In contrast, 1,129 fines were handed out for littering, with 774 being paid.
The value of the fly tipping fines came to £400, whereas £90,320 of littering penalties were issued.
In the four months data was available for the 2020-21 municipal year, the authority issued 53 littering notices, four dog fouling penalties, and no fly tipping fines.
Labour Cllr Jonathan Parry said the issue isn’t helped by a lack of reporting.
“I think we’re one of the better towns for it.
“At the end of the day, it is about reporting it. It does get dealt with once it has been reported.
“There is no easy solution to getting it stopped. I would encourage the public to report any scene of fly tipping whatsoever.
“If the council sees it is a problem area, they can monitor it.”
The data also shows that 57 fines were issued for dog fouling in the same period, worth £4,240, but only 39 were paid.
Independent Cllr Mark Goldsmith said: “There have been some issues in the Carrs where the bins have been swamped.
“People have gone to eat a picnic and have left rubbish by the bins.
“The Town Council has put up some more notices there, advising residents to take their litter away with them if the bins are full as it causes a hazard but how successful they are is open to debate.
“We have found people have not been willing to keep it as tidy as they did before the lockdown.”
Conservative Cllr Stewart Gardiner said he has heard of a “significant problem in other parts of the borough, in particular Crewe” although no evidence of a major issue in his ward of Knutsford.
“I am aware there are occasions of littering, but I am not aware of fly tipping being a problem in Knutsford.”
You can report fly tipping issues on the CEC website here.
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