A town councillor has asked when Cheshire East is going to get serious about tackling fly-tipping, saying every time it issued a fine for an offence Cheshire West would have issued 31.

Congleton councillor Robert Douglas told Wednesday's (October 15) meeting of Cheshire East's full council, fly-tipping is a risk to public health, endangers local wildlife and livestock and costs about £200,000 a year to clear up.

"Two years ago, I pointed out to this council that for the year to March 2022, while Cheshire West was issuing one fixed penalty notice for every 20 incidents, this council was only issuing one for every 200," said Cllr Douglas.

"Unbelievably, two years later, while Cheshire West was issuing one fixed penalty notice for every 16 incidents, this council was only issuing one for every 500.

"Every time Cheshire East issued a fixed penalty notice, Cheshire West would have issued 31."

He said for the year to March 2024, the level of fly-tipping per person in Cheshire East is 42 per cent higher than Cheshire West, 71 per cent worse than Warrington and more than two and a half times that of the Staffordshire Moorlands.

"Since July 2023, councils have been allowed to levy fines of up £1,000 for fly-tipping," said Cllr Douglas.

"Both Warrington and Staffordshire Moorlands enforce this new maximum, but for this council the maximum remains at £400. Why?"

He added: "The time is overdue for this council to treat the crime of fly-tipping with the seriousness it demands."

Cllr David Jefferay, chair of environment and communities, said Cheshire East has recently improved reporting systems for members of the public in relation to evidence that may lead to further investigation, so more cases are sent directly to the enforcement team.

"From September 2024 to present date, there have been 34 fixed penalty notices issued for breaches of waste legislation which are fly tipping, domestic waste duty of care and breach of section 46 waste receptacle notice," said Cllr Jefferay (Wilmslow, Ind).

He said, of these, 23 were paid in full, two have been referred to court for prosecution, four are outstanding but still within the payment time, and five have been cancelled.

He added: "The council has no current plans to increase the rate of a fixed penalty notice above the £400.

"This will, however, be continually reviewed as capacity within the team is increased and more streamlined reporting and the case management system recently implemented in July 2025 continues to evolve."