Lib Dem candidate for Cumbria Police and Crime Commissioner calls for crack down on fly-tipping

Liberal Democrat candidate for Cumbria's Police and Crime Commissioner Mark Christie has promised one of his top priorities for his first term in office is to deal with the scourge of fly-tipping across Cumbria.

New figures from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs show that there were more than 4,000 incidents of fly-tipping in Cumbria last year:

• 1,986 in Barrow
• 1,030 in Carlisle
• 689 in Allerdale
• 326 in Eden
• 266 in Copeland
• 161 in South Lakeland

Mark said: "This is becoming much more than just a nuisance issue.

"It not only causes damage to the environment, but also costs huge amounts to clean up and causes much distress to farmers and those living in both rural and suburban areas."

Mark is a passionate advocate of evidence-based policing. He points to various schemes across the UK that have shown great results and that we can learn from and apply here. "You have to follow what works. Working with partners, involving offenders to help clear up the mess as part of a rehabilitation programme, using cameras and motion sensors to deter and detect, raising awareness through campaigns and publicising convictions - this all really helps.

"One scheme that took this approach in Lincolnshire not only cleared up 320 tonnes of rubbish, but also helped clean up riverbanks, tidy housing estates, and restore countryside. 70% of items that were collected were recycled, and ex-offenders gained vocational qualifications in the process.

"That's the way I work: looking for evidence of best practice in the country that we can adopt here in Cumbria."