BUSINESSES caught illegally dumping rubbish in Swanage could face hefty fines.

Swanage Town Council has agreed its CCTV system can be used to help catch culprits who try and pass off their litter as domestic waste or leave it beside public litter bins.

Councils have new powers to issue fixed penalty notices to offenders under the Clean Neighbourhoods and Environments Act 2005, passed by Parliament in April.

Purbeck District Council and Swanage Town Council are working in partnership on reducing illegal dumping following complaints about overflowing litter bins and rubbish bags left on street corners.

Town clerk Alan Leeson said: "The problem is two-fold. Some businesses are continuing to put their rubbish out for collection, either with the domestic waste or by public litter bins, rather than pay for it to be collected themselves as they should be doing.

"We also suffer from some residents putting rubbish out on days that aren't the collection day, resulting in bags of refuse lying around the streets."

Town mayor Cllr Tony Miller said: "No-one wants to see the town littered with bags of rubbish. "This is a beautiful place and we intend to keep it that way."

Richard Conway, principal environmental health officer at Purbeck District Council, said: "Businesses have a duty of care to dispose of their waste responsibly. Dumping trade waste by litter bins is illegal.

"We have a number of options available to us, including the use of a remote mobile camera offered to us by Swanage Town Council.

"We can use the camera to monitor businesses that we suspect may be dumping their rubbish.

"Rubbish bags left on street corners and behind buildings provide food for pests such as rats and mice. In the interests of public health, the council has a duty to stop this illegal dumping."

First published: May 9