Kent County Council has agreed a new multi-agency partnership and Action Plan after hosting the county’s first countywide fly-tipping conference, bringing together councils, Kent Police, the Environment Agency and landowners to tackle illegal dumping across Kent.
Communities, businesses and landowners across Kent will see councils, police and environmental regulators working from a single shared plan for the first time — after partners agreed at a countywide conference to set up a formal fly-tipping partnership and produce a Kent Fly-Tipping Action Plan. The one-day event, Kent’s first dedicated to waste crime at county level, brought together local authorities, the Environment Agency, Kent Police, government representatives, landowners, waste industry professionals and community groups.
Linden Kemkaran, Leader of Kent County Council, said: “Fly-tipping is a complex issue affecting communities, businesses, landowners and the environment across Kent — no single organisation can solve it alone. The conference enabled partners to share experiences, discuss common challenges and identify practical ways of working more effectively together.” Kemkaran added that social media polls showed the real impact of illegal dumping on local communities, and that there was a clear commitment to action from those in the room.
The conference focused on how organisations can work more effectively together across several areas: preventing fly-tipping before it happens, improving intelligence-sharing between agencies, supporting affected communities, strengthening enforcement, and raising public awareness of responsible waste disposal.
The partnership will meet regularly — giving agencies a fixed forum to respond to emerging trends in waste crime, check what is working and adjust their approach where needed.
Jamie Henderson, Cabinet Member for Environment, Coastal Regeneration and Public Health at KCC, said discussions had focused on “practical, achievable actions” and that the event had provided “a strong foundation for future collaboration.” The ideas from the day, he said, would directly shape the Kent Fly-Tipping Action Plan.
The Action Plan will set out shared priorities and specific actions across the county — providing a consistent framework and a way to track progress over time.
The new partnership will continue to meet regularly, providing a forum for organisations to address emerging issues, monitor progress and develop solutions together.
Kent launches first countywide partnership to fight fly-tipping Quiz
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