Conservative Councillor Richard Eddy is challenging the Green-led Administration to finally secure an agreement with Bristol Waste Company to remove fly-tipping items from Council-owned land.
At present, residents are directed to report any illegally dumped rubbish by using an online portal:- Report and prevent flytipping (illegal dumping) but there can be delays and confusion created over who will actually clear it. This is due to the fact that there are different arrangements with Bristol Waste, Housing Teams, Parks Maintenance, other housing providers which have their own private contractors.
Failure to speedily deal with unauthorised discards is known to create a host of problems. These include negative environmental and visual impacts; safety and health risks; higher economic costs (particularly if this involves ad hoc or specialist pest control interventions); lead to increases in anti-social behaviour; and generate anger and frustration amongst residents or site neighbours.
Now, Conservatives have tabled a motion and Member Forum questions for the next Full Council (10th March 2026) on this issue as it affects housing estate land.
Councillor Eddy (Vice-Chairman Homes & Housing Delivery Committee) said: “Residents are understandably made annoyed and baffled when fly-tipping is left to accumulate for any significant period of time.
“In some cases, this will be due to a confusing mix of responsibilities or perceived passing the buck.
“Inaction dealing with this menace is invariably much more costly – as left unattended - it only attracts or encourages others to add to the discarded rubbish.
“The Authority already has a general contract with Bristol Waste to manage public highways reportedly handling 10,000 fly-tipping incidents per year at a cost of nearly £1m.
“It has been engaged in a protracted negotiation process with the company to extend responsibility for removals to communal or other public areas not presently covered.
“This matter needs to be resolved quickly if we are to avoid further reputational or economic damage to the city. To this end, we want the policy committee to establish the reasons behind any impasse and help to resolve the deadlock.”
Note to Editor: Please find below a copy of the Conservative Motion
TACKLING FLY-TIPPING ON HOUSING ESTATE LAND
“This Council is concerned over the apparent delay or stalemate in concluding a satisfactory contract with Bristol Waste Company to deal with the menace of fly-tipping on housing estate land.
Recent reports on the broader annual cost of investigating and clearing illegally dumped items (nearly £1m) shows the extent of a growing citywide problem. It is causing both reputational and economic damage to the local authority.
It is particularly egregious for our tenants when rubbish is allowed to accumulate due to uncertainty over responsibility, appropriate reporting mechanisms, and enforcement. The current impasse is estimating to cost the Housing Revenue Account (HRA) hundreds of thousands of pounds each year, especially as ad-hoc or emergency clearances are much more expensive than contractual agreements.
Failure to promptly remove fly-tipping can lead to an increase in vermin and public health risks; the creation of fire hazards; result in obstructions on footpaths or communal areas; attract further dumping (due to the ‘broken windows’ effect); and heighten resident anger and frustration.
Therefore, Council calls for the Homes & Housing Delivery Committee to establish the reasons for the failure to conclude an agreement on unauthorised waste disposal and encourage all parties to speedily resolve deadlock. Clearly, any final formal contract must provide predictable costs, clear service standards, defined response times, accountability for performance, and offer the very best value-for-money. New or updated reporting and enforcement arrangements should be streamlined to improve efficiency, tenant communication, and build public confidence in the service.”
