A MAN from Bramley has been ordered to pay more than £3,000 after illegally carrying waste as part of his business.

Neil Inkley, 54 years of Silchester Road, Bramley was prosecuted by Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council at Basingstoke Magistrates' Court on Wednesday, December 22 and pleaded guilty by post to the offence.

The Court heard that on September 22 last year Mr Inkley, who trades as Garden Solutions, was driving his open-back tipper vehicle while carrying green waste including grass cuttings when he was stopped by police on the A340 Aldermaston Road.

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Cllr Hayley Eachus, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council's cabinet member for recycling waste and regulatory service, said: "We continue to work with the police and other agencies to investigate waste related offences. Where possible, unregistered waste carriers will be prosecuted in the same way as our pro-active approach to fly tipping incidents.

"The maximum fine for carrying waste as part of a business and not being registered with the Environment Agency as a Waste Carrier is £5,000. We are encouraged that the Magistrates in this case took the offence very seriously and imposed a significant fine and hope that that this case will act as a deterrent to those companies and enterprises who collect waste from people without being registered."

The stop was part of a waste carrier operation with Hampshire Constabulary, the Driver and Vehicle Standards Agency, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council, and Hampshire County Council.

When Mr Inkley was interviewed at the roadside it was determined that the green waste had come from properties in the Bramley and Chineham areas and was being carried in connection with his business.

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Further inquiries with the Environment Agency showed that at the time the waste was being carried, neither Mr Inkley nor his business was registered as a waste carrier.

He was given a fine of £2,500 and £380 in prosecution costs, plus a victim surcharge of £250.

Since May 2018 the council has convicted 38 individuals and companies for fly-tipping and the council has a zero-tolerance approach.

To report a fly-tipping incident, visit: www.basingstoke.gov.uk/flytipping.

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