BASINGSTOKE and Deane was plagued by more than five reported flytipping incidents a day over the past year, 'disappointing' figures have revealed.

A Freedom of Information (FoI) request has shown there 2,053 reported rubbish dumping incidents across the borough from April 1 2018 to March 31 this year, around 5.6 per day.

The FoI also covered the number of reported flytipping incidents for the financial years 2015/16, 2016/17 and 2017/18 which showed there were 8,383 reports over the past four years.

In this time period, Popley East was the ward with the most flytipping, with 680 incidents reported, nearly 100 ahead of the second highest, Norden, with 582.

Popley East ward councillor David Potter said: "It is disappointing to see that in such stark terms.

"It is not a widespread issue in all of Popley East, but more a issue caused by a small number of people. It is very easy to shed surplus thing in parts given the way the housing is built.

"There is no excuse for flytipping, of course. The consequences are severe, both for the community and the individual involved should prosecutions arise.

"We are always striving to educate people about the damage flytipping causes."

Buckskin (547), South Ham (462), and Winklebury (431) complete the list of the top five wards with the most flytipping incidents.

Labour Councillor Potter added: "It appears that the Tories are more concerned with making a profit from the bulky waste collection charges which are very high rather than encouraging residents to act responsibly when they have items to dispose of.

Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council (BDBC) cabinet member for environment and enforcement Councillor Hayley Eachus said: “The council’s charge for the bulky waste collection service is one of the lowest in the county and a concessionary rate is available to anyone on means-tested benefits. There is no evidence of the cost of bulky waste collections being linked to reports or incidents of fly-tipping."

A BBC investigation also found no link between the areas with the highest charges for waste collection and the highest rates of fly-tipping.

BDBC also provided figures to the Gazette which showed there 8,321 incidents across the borough cleared from 2015/16 to 2018/19.

Cllr Eachus added: “Residents are making a sterling effort in reporting incidents of fly-tipping to us and we are very grateful to those who take the time to make these reports. The reports not only allow us to act swiftly in clearing the waste but can also provide valuable evidence which allow us to bring successful prosecutions against those responsible.

“We will continue to take action on those who blight our landscape. Fly-tipping is illegal and we all have a responsibility to dispose of waste lawfully, for example by taking waste to the local household waste recycling centre, using the council’s bulky waste collection service or reputable and licenced waste carriers.

"There is no excuse for fly-tipping and the council will take action against anyone who dumps waste or fails to take appropriate steps to dispose of their waste properly.”