Across Coalville and the whole of North West Leicestershire, residents are rightly fed up with the rise in fly-tipping that’s blighting our countryside, verges, and woodland. I share that frustration, and I believe the best way to tackle it isn’t just tougher enforcement, but making it easier for people to do the right thing in the first place.
Every week I hear from residents who say the same thing: it’s too difficult to access our Household Waste Recycling Centres. Opening hours are too short, the list of accepted materials is too limited, and small businesses are locked out completely. When you make responsible disposal harder, it’s sadly no surprise that some take shortcuts, and the rest of us end up footing the bill.
That’s why I’ve called on Leicestershire County Council to urgently review how our recycling centres operate. Coalville and Lount in particular need extended opening hours, a broader range of accepted waste, including tyres and paint tins, and a fair scheme to let small tradespeople use the sites. These are simple, sensible steps that would make a real difference.
Because let’s be honest, it’s a false economy to do nothing. Every time rubbish is dumped, taxpayers pay several times over to have it cleaned up: staff time, vehicles, disposal costs, sometimes even legal action. It costs far more to clear up after the fact than it would to make our recycling centres more accessible in the first place.
If we make it easier for residents and small businesses to dispose of their waste responsibly, we’ll see cleaner streets, fewer incidents, and a greener Coalville. It’s not about making excuses for bad behaviour, it’s about removing the barriers that encourage it.
