Fly-tipping challenge

One of the five big complaints I get raised as ward Councillor in an inner urban ward is that of fly tipping in alleys, near roads and outside private properties.

It is a scourge that local Councillors are regularly told is getting worse across the country; yet actually that may not quite be the truth.

A study has found that Southampton remains the place worst affected by fly tipping in the South East but Medway has shown the largest increase in incidents since 2010/11, contrary in fact, to the trends seen elsewhere. 

I have compiled the data from the ever exciting DEFRA stats on Local Authority fly tipping (2012/13) vs the same stats in 2010/11. 

• First - Southampton - 8,708 incidents (10/11) to 7,819 incidents (12/13) - FALL 
• Second - Milton Keynes 5,321 incidents to 3,531 incidents (12/13) - FALL 
• Third - Medway 3,130 incidents to 4,576 (12/13) - RISE 
• Fourth - Basingstoke & Deane 2,879 incidents to 2,198 (12/13) - FALL 
• Fifth - Hastings 2,873 (10/11) incidents to 3,464 (12/13) - RISE 
• Sixth - Brighton and Hove 2,227 (10/11) incidents to 2,076 (12/13) - FALL 
• Seventh - Reading 2,179 (10/11) incidents to 2,139 (12/13) - STATIC 
• Eighth - Swale 1,918 (10/11) incidents to 1,925 (12/13) - STATIC 
• Ninth - Test Valley 1,881 (10/11) incidents to 785 (12/13) - FALL 
• Tenth - Dartford 1,777 (10/11) incidents to 1,304 (12/13) - FALL 

It seems very odd that Medway has seen a marked increase in flytipping reporting whilst other areas have seen a notable fall.  

I will be challenging this in more detail