A FLYTIPPING site has sprang up next to an East Lancashire council’s office base, just feet away from staff cars.

Hyndburn Council has successfully prosecuted of flytippers, including residents who let rubbish mount up in their back yards.

However the council said it had been forced to endure the embarassing sight due to shared ownership of the land.

The council said piles of matresses, pallets, pieces of furniture and rubbish were being dumped next to its overspill staff car park.

The site is within yards of the council’s Scaitcliffe House base in Ormerod Street.

Opposition leader Peter Britcliffe said: “The council are quite quick to make sure other people clear up their backyards, and yet they haven’t cleared up something which is practically in their own.

“One of the first things that happened when this council came to power is they got rid of the three caretakers who kept watch on things like this.

“It is a very basic front line service and it gives a terrible message to anyone who may be visiting the council.

“They have powers to ensure the land is cleared up, why aren’t they being used?”

But deputy leader Clare Pritchard said the council were pursuing the problem.

She said: “It’s been a problem for a long time because the site is shared by four nearby properties.

“Who do we hold to account for it, legally?

“We have cleared the site six times in four years and are looking into alternatives, such as issuing notices.

“Flytipping will not be tolerated and we will be very proactive in solving this”.

Resident Chris Whalen, who passes the site regularly, said: “The site can be seen from the council offices. You’d think they’d simply watch to see who is flytipping.”

A nearby business owner, who asked not to be named, said: “There’s always been bits of fly tipping on there, and it doesn’t look too good to customers. You’d expect the council to sort it out.”

Council leader Miles Parkinson said the council would ‘do our best to resolve this’.