16/09/2026
At tomorrow's Sefton Council meeting, Reform's Councillor Thomas Swaney will put a motion forward to the chamber. The motion is centred on a risk of increased flytipping due to the Merseyside Recycling and Waste Authority's proposed changes to rubbish tips.
The MRWA have proposed to remove all recyclable and non-recyclable mixed waste disposals at their rubbish tips. If these proposals pass, all Merseyside residents will have to prove the rubbish they're bringing to the tip has been pre sorted into separate waste categories. They have proposed this change to "increase recycling".
It is Reform's belief that if this proposal passes, many residents will continue to take their mixed waste rubbish to the tip and will be turned around. It's likely that a percentage of these people who were turned around will flytip their rubbish on their way home, instead of taking it home and sorting through it themselves. In the 2024-2025 financial year, Sefton spent £366,000 clearing up more than 3,500 flytipping incidents. Sefton cannot afford any increased spending.
The MRWA have stated there is "no evidence" of a link of a removal of mixed waste disposal and an increase in flytipping. However, absence of evidence is not evidence of absence. This motion requests the Chief Executive of Sefton Council to write a letter to the MRWA, to express concern over the lack of evidence that flytipping will not increase, and to call upon the MRWA to produce evidence to demonstrate that removing mixed waste disposal will not increase flytipping.
Southport and Sefton residents deserve to know the full truth. If flytipping will increase from these proposals, and therefore expenditure, we deserve to know.
