One of South Cambridgeshire’s most fly-tipped locations has been given a clean-up, thanks to a joint effort between the District Council and the Community Payback scheme.
Dumped tyres, garden waste and cabling were among the mess cleared in the makeover project to the Byway between Iram Drove and Meadow Lane in Willingham.
During the day more than a ton of illegally dumped waste was removed, filling two waste collection vehicles.
The site is plagued by illegally dumped household and commercial waste, but after a day it was transformed thanks to the collaborative effort between the District Council’s environmental crime and street cleansing officers alongside Cambridgeshire Community Payback scheme.
The site has been a persistent eyesore and a frequent target for fly-tippers. Over the years, the Council has implemented numerous measures to combat the issue, including physical barriers, increased patrols, signage, CCTV surveillance, and multiple clean-up operations.
Cllr Natalie Warren-Green, Lead Cabinet Member for Environmental Services and Licensing for South Cambridgeshire District Council, said: “As part of the nationwide Keep Britain Tidy Spring Clean 2025 campaign, this site was selected for a deep clean. It’s a site I am very familiar with and have personally used our website to report fly-tipping here on three occasions in the last two years when I have run along this route. The Cambridgeshire Community Payback Scheme team worked incredibly hard throughout the day to clear the waste in unseasonably hot weather. Their dedication, alongside the efforts of our environmental crime and street cleansing teams, ensured the site was fully restored in just under five hours. We are thankful for their efforts and to the Over Community Centre for their kind assistance and use of their facilities.”
Community Payback is a scheme where offenders carry out unpaid work on community projects as a form of reparation for their crimes. Courts can impose between 40 and 300 hours of unpaid work, depending on the severity of the offence.
The Probation Service manages and delivers Community Payback, which serves as a visible punishment while directly improving local areas affected by crime. Community Payback projects include removing graffiti, clearing wasteland and decorating public spaces and community buildings.
Cllr Bill Handley, a district councillor for Willingham, said: “This clean-up initiative was very welcome, and the team did a superb job in the time available. Further, similar, work is much needed, and we look forward to them returning soon.”
- Residents can play an active role in identifying problem areas for future Community Payback projects. If you know of a site in need of attention, please contact South Cambridgeshire District Council with the location and a brief description of the issue. The Council will liaise with the Community Payback scheme to arrange possible clean-up operations. For more information or to nominate a site, visit our website.
- For further information on how to report fly tipping visit our webpage.