A SHARP rise in fly-tipping across Gravesham is being blamed on a decision to ban vans and pick-up trucks from dumping waste at the borough’s only recycling centre.

The number of incidents reported to Gravesham Council has risen by more than 40 per cent in the past three years, News Shopper can reveal.

Animal carcasses, tyres and oil drums have been all been dumped across the borough – at a cost of more than £310,000 to the tax payer.

Gravesham Council leader John Burden blames the rise on Kent County Council banning Pepperhill Household Waste Recycling Centre in Southfleet from allowing vans from dropping off rubbish.

He said: “What’s happening is people are tipping in local roads, and think they will get away with it.

“Unfortunately fly-tipping has gone up, but it has gone up since KCC changed its rules, it really has.

“People need to be more careful and make sure there household waste is going to a reputable service.”

The move which came into force in October last year was aimed at cutting down on businesses illegally dumping commercial waste, but Cllr Burden believes the decision has backfired.

Figures obtained by News Shopper through a Freedom of Information request show in the past year 1,225 incidents have been reported to Gravesham Council, compared to 856 in 2010/11.

Over the past three years Gravesham Council has spent more than £130,000 investigating 3,941 incidents – bringing just five prosecutions.

Two were handed absolute conditional discharges and three fined up to £500.

He said: “As far as I’m concerned, whenever we can find evidence, we do.

“Fly-tipping is unacceptable, there’s no excuse for dumping waste and we will prosecute.”

Meopham handyman Lee Hardy photographed a catalogue of flytipped rubbish dumped in Cobham and Meopham in the weeks following KCC’s rule change at the Station Road recycling centre.

The 54-year-old, of Ridgeway Avenue, said: “I’m not surprised by the figures.

“It’s the same people doing the fly-tipping that the recycling centre is trying to get out of the tips.

"But by doing that it’s stopping the likes of me from using it.

“It’s all a bit ludicrous."

Bryan Sweetland, KCC cabinet member for transport and environment, hit back at Cllr Burden.

He said: “It looks like John Burden is talking rubbish again.

"The new operating procedures for KCC's Pepperhill were only changed six months ago, so this is clearly not responsible for any increase in flytipping in Gravesham over the last three years

"People living in the town centre may have noticed more black bin-bags being left out on the wrong days and mattresses dumped in a few streets but Gravesham Council usually deals with these instances fairly quickly.

“It is and always has been illegal to take business or trade waste to KCC's household waste and recycling centres and by ensuring this no longer happens, KCC is saving Kent's council tax payers over £500,000 a year in disposal charges.

"Cllr Burden as the local council leader really should know this."