FLY tipping in Buckinghamshire was blamed on the ‘white van brigade’ driving up from London, at a council meeting today.

Bill Chapple, Buckinghamshire County Council’s cabinet member for environment, defended claims that fly tipping will increase because of changes to charges at tips.

Tips in the county introduced charges on April 1, due to budget pressures. Some councillors are concerned this will lead to more fly tipping.

Councillor Julia Wassell said: “There is still great unhappiness about these changes.

“I think people find it very hard to believe that the administrative costs of collecting the charges will not outweigh the actual revenue gained from the charges themselves.

“They are of the belief that fly tipping is going to increase. They believe this is a false economy.”

Cllr Chapple said: “We have the best fly tipping team in the country. We are now the cusp of 700 offences going through to the courts.

“None of us wanted to do it, but the budgets were so that I had to do it. It was either that or close half our sites in Bucks.”

Cllr Timothy Butcher said: “I have also had a number of concerned residents saying that they have seen fly tipping. They are concerned that this will increase fly tipping.”

Cllr Chapple said: “I think the general public are all law abiding. Law abiding people do not fly tip.

“Most of our fly tipping in this county is actually the white van brigade coming out from London, picking up £25 a time, making £300 and then just finding a lay by or even a country line where they just drive along.

“I will do my best to make sure we can catch everybody. We catch one in every 38. Nationally, they catch one in every 638. We have zero tolerance for fly tipping.”