Helston’s mayor has vowed to take action over what he described as “unacceptable behaviour by adults who should know better.”

Mike Thomas was referring to the latest load of fly-tipping to blight the woodland on the outskirts of the town, at Sithney Common Hill.

Land immediately adjacent to the lay-by halfway up the hill is covered in illegally dumped goods, from old settees and televisions to tyres and even a mattress.

However, Cornwall Council has admitted it is powerless to take action as the dumping is taking place on private land.

Mr Thomas told the Packet: “I believe that this is unacceptable behaviour by adults who should know better.

“In our case they probably do not live in Helston as over time Sithney Common Hill has regularly attracted ‘fly-tipping’.

“The landowner needs to secure the land to prevent people throwing stuff out of their vans and cars whilst in the lay-by. However, I am not sure that we know who owns the land.”

He vowed to raise the issue at the next meeting of the town’s councils planning committee next week.

“I will be proposing that Helston Town Council contacts Cornwall Council enforcement officers requesting that the matter is dealt with as a matter of urgency,” he added.

“In the long term Cornwall Council may have to consider placing a fence on their side of the land on the edge of the lay-by and / or working with the landowner to resolve this issue, possibly using modern electronic surveillance equipment.

“Clearly enforcement is the only solution to the Sithney Common Hill issue and our community must work together to find ways of stopping this area continuing to be an illegal rubbish dump.”

Ed Fleck, community and environmental enforcement officer with Cornwall Council, described it as an “ongoing problem” in this location that his department was aware of.

But he added: “Unfortunately it’s private land. Cornwall Council are unaware of who owns the land, and whoever owns it has not complained about the fly-tipping.”

The authority is only responsible for waste dumped on council land, with the onus on the landowner to deal with anything left on private ground.

Mr Fleck added there was also a safety issue at this location, describing it as a “massive drop” to get to the dumped rubbish.

He said the council could take enforcement action even on private land if any witnesses to fly-tipping got in contact with the registration details of the vehicle involved, or photographs.

This would help the council bring about a prosecution.

Anyone witnessing an incidence of fly-tipping should contact Cornwall Council’s refuse and recycling department directly on 0300 1234 141 or email refuseandrecycling@cornwall.gov.uk Dumping household, industrial and commercial waste illegally carries a fine of up to £20,000, although it is unlimited if the case goes to the crown court and an offender can even be sent to prison.

The owner of a vehicle involved in fly-tipping can be prosecuted, even if the driver cannot be identified, and the police also have the powers to seize vehicles.

Household recycling centres at Helston and Longdowns are open seven days a week, from 9am to 4pm. A charge is in place for trade waste.

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