Farmers across the country are facing huge bills for clearing up waste deposited on their land by illegal fly-tipping.
A Shropshire farmer is facing costs of £18,000 to clean-up after a fly-tipping gang deposited over 100 tons of industrial waste on his land. Andrew Nichols says that the cost of removing the waste will almost wipe out the whole value of his single farm payment for this year.
All farmers and landowners today padlock perimeter field gates, and block entrances with big bales, pieces of heavy equipment, or more permanent barricades. However, despite our efforts, criminals, for that is what they are, continue to find ways to dump loads of waste in private drives, farmyards, even cutting down hedges to gain access to fields.
Much of this is due to the high cost of official council dumps, and reduced landfill sites, as many have been closed over the past few years. The low number of official sites where waste can be tipped, and increased red tape and bureaucracy has resulted in this abuse of the countryside.
This matter must be taken seriously and a workable solution found. Farmers and landowners cannot be expected not shoulder the cost of removing illegal waste from their land, it is not their liability. Councils must be accountable, they should recognise their responsibility and foot the bill.
If they fail to take action by sending vehicles to collect the material, farmers should transfer it onto the high way, and let local governments deal with it from there. It is not acceptable for them to turn a blind eye to what is a problem of their making.
Criminals who are dumping this stuff, should be locked up or at the very least made to do community work at the nearest recycling plant. Fit them up with old fashioned prison overalls with arrows pointing upwards, shackles on their legs and have their mug shots plastered all over the area, drawing attention to their crimes. This needs to be taken seriously.
Jim Walker, a 71 year old volunteer at Carnforth Station has been banned from the premises after someone complained about an alleged ‘racist comment’. Mr Walker has for more than a decade, been winding the famous clock at the station.
He was overheard holding a private conversation during which he discussed a newspaper article about young migrants entering Britain from the French port of Calais.
The Carnforth Station Trust subsequently received a complaint from a visitor who was not happy about Mr Walker discussing this subject. Now, on the basis of one person’s complaint, Mr Walker a volunteer, has been banned from winding up the clock, and from all station property.
Not unreasonably Mr Walker, his family and friends are outraged that this action has been taken, just because he expressed a point of view. What ever happened to free speech?
According to government figures, over half the new homes built in the next five years will go to migrants. Soaring immigration means that Britain will need to accommodate as many as 243,000 new households each year for the next 22 years. It is estimated that an extra 5.3 million new properties could be needed to meet the growth in population, and an extra 2.4 million new homes will be needed for migrants alone. In other words, one new home must be built every five minutes to house Britain’s burgeoning migrant population.
With such a demand for new homes, one has to question the thinking behind local planning department’s decision to turn down planning applications because they fall within 20 miles of Ashdown Forest.
The reason being in case residents from these badly needed new homes, required for second and third generation locals, as well as those moving into the area, should drive in the direction of Ashdown Forest and cars pollute the environment.
The result of this questionable decision is that ideal and available sites for new homes, such as those close to railway stations, which would invariably reduce car journeys, are being turned down. How ridiculous is that?
A Shropshire farmer is facing costs of £18,000 to clean-up after a fly-tipping gang deposited over 100 tons of industrial waste on his land. Andrew Nichols says that the cost of removing the waste will almost wipe out the whole value of his single farm payment for this year.
All farmers and landowners today padlock perimeter field gates, and block entrances with big bales, pieces of heavy equipment, or more permanent barricades. However, despite our efforts, criminals, for that is what they are, continue to find ways to dump loads of waste in private drives, farmyards, even cutting down hedges to gain access to fields.
Much of this is due to the high cost of official council dumps, and reduced landfill sites, as many have been closed over the past few years. The low number of official sites where waste can be tipped, and increased red tape and bureaucracy has resulted in this abuse of the countryside.
This matter must be taken seriously and a workable solution found. Farmers and landowners cannot be expected not shoulder the cost of removing illegal waste from their land, it is not their liability. Councils must be accountable, they should recognise their responsibility and foot the bill.
If they fail to take action by sending vehicles to collect the material, farmers should transfer it onto the high way, and let local governments deal with it from there. It is not acceptable for them to turn a blind eye to what is a problem of their making.
Criminals who are dumping this stuff, should be locked up or at the very least made to do community work at the nearest recycling plant. Fit them up with old fashioned prison overalls with arrows pointing upwards, shackles on their legs and have their mug shots plastered all over the area, drawing attention to their crimes. This needs to be taken seriously.
Jim Walker, a 71 year old volunteer at Carnforth Station has been banned from the premises after someone complained about an alleged ‘racist comment’. Mr Walker has for more than a decade, been winding the famous clock at the station.
He was overheard holding a private conversation during which he discussed a newspaper article about young migrants entering Britain from the French port of Calais.
The Carnforth Station Trust subsequently received a complaint from a visitor who was not happy about Mr Walker discussing this subject. Now, on the basis of one person’s complaint, Mr Walker a volunteer, has been banned from winding up the clock, and from all station property.
Not unreasonably Mr Walker, his family and friends are outraged that this action has been taken, just because he expressed a point of view. What ever happened to free speech?
According to government figures, over half the new homes built in the next five years will go to migrants. Soaring immigration means that Britain will need to accommodate as many as 243,000 new households each year for the next 22 years. It is estimated that an extra 5.3 million new properties could be needed to meet the growth in population, and an extra 2.4 million new homes will be needed for migrants alone. In other words, one new home must be built every five minutes to house Britain’s burgeoning migrant population.
With such a demand for new homes, one has to question the thinking behind local planning department’s decision to turn down planning applications because they fall within 20 miles of Ashdown Forest.
The reason being in case residents from these badly needed new homes, required for second and third generation locals, as well as those moving into the area, should drive in the direction of Ashdown Forest and cars pollute the environment.
The result of this questionable decision is that ideal and available sites for new homes, such as those close to railway stations, which would invariably reduce car journeys, are being turned down. How ridiculous is that?
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