A LOCAL authority's crackdown on fly-tipping has seen 132 prosecutions in 15 months councillors have been told.

The figures have been revealed in a report to Blackburn with Darwen's Full Council meeting by its finance and legal boss Cllr Vicky McGurk.

She said that between April 1 2021 and March 31 this year the authority's legal team mounted 114 prosecutions for fly-tipping and other waste-related offences.

And Cllr McGurk revealed that since April 1 there had been 18 more.

Her report to Thursday's meeting says: "Since 2021 the number of waste prosecutions have increased and during 2021/22 legal services litigation team have conducted 114 prosecutions for waste related offences

The litigation team since April 1 this year have conducted prosecutions that saw 18 residents prosecuted for various fly-tipping/waste accumulation type offences, which resulted in those residents having to pay a combined total of £11,215.74 in court fines and charges."

Cllr Jim Smith, Blackburn with Darwen Council's environment boss, said: "We want our residents to be proud of our borough and where we live, so we will not tolerate rubbish being allowed to build up and blight our communities.

"Piles of rubbish are not just unsightly, they cause serious issues – including bad smells and attracting vermin. There’s absolutely no excuse for it.

"The vast majority of residents take pride in their homes and surroundings and so it’s important we do everything in our power to take action against those who don’t, as it impacts on those living nearby."

Cllr McGurk also updates councillors on other legal work by council officers.

Her report says: "The litigation team have also continued with other prosecutions:

"• 45 new truancy matters allocated and issued at court since March 30 2022 with final results and figures still awaited;

"• a planning prosecution of a resident who had built a dormer extension without planning permission was prosecuted and fined;

"• a Proceeds of Crime Act application in respect of recent counterfeit cigarette conviction still ongoing;

"• serious fraudulent trading matter also involving counterfeit cigarettes and tobacco listed at the magistrates court;

"* and a contested noise nuisance prosecution.

"In addition, two appeals against licensing sub-committee decisions have been successfully defended in court, and two more appeals have been received and being dealt with."