Phil Wilkinson Jones

Wychavon District Council in Worcestershire has backed a motion calling for tougher fly-tipping penalties, better recognition of cleanup costs in sentencing, and greater use of community payback schemes. Councillors cited residents’ concerns about illegal dumping, particularly around Pershore, and called for mobile CCTV to target hotspots. The move follows the government’s announcement that the maximum fly-tipping fine will rise from £1,000 to £5,000, while the maximum street-littering penalty will increase to £750.

Worcestershire County Council and its six district councils are due to be replaced by two unitary authorities in April 2028: one covering Worcester, Wychavon and Malvern Hills, and another covering Wyre Forest, Bromsgrove and Redditch. The government says the split reflects the county’s contrasting urban-industrial north and rural south, while local critics warn that dividing major services could lead to substantial tax rises. They also suspect the northern authority could eventually be incorporated into Birmingham through future devolution arrangements.