Croydon asks residents to identify fly-tippers: what residents need to know

Croydon residents are being asked to help identify suspected fly-tippers caught on CCTV as the council expands a zero-tolerance enforcement campaign against illegal dumping in the borough.

Croydon Council has published video clips on a dedicated “Caught on Camera” page and is urging people who recognise anyone in the footage to contact its enforcement team. The appeal follows a recent case in Thornton Heath where a resident filmed rubbish being dumped, shared the footage, and helped officers trace the vehicle owner.

That case ended with a £400 fixed penalty notice, which the council says has been paid.

CCTV footage put before residents

The council’s latest move turns public evidence into a formal part of its enforcement push. Instead of relying only on patrols or officer reports, Croydon is asking residents to check the CCTV clips and help identify people suspected of dumping waste on local streets.

The approach reflects growing frustration in neighbourhoods where fly-tipping can leave pavements, high streets and residential roads blocked with bags, furniture, builders’ waste or household rubbish. For residents, the impact is practical as well as visual: dumped waste can attract more rubbish, create hazards and leave clean-up costs falling back on public services.

Croydon Council says the published footage is intended to help enforcement officers trace offenders and issue penalties where evidence supports action.

Thornton Heath case leads to paid fine

The campaign has already been tested through a case in Thornton Heath. A local resident filmed rubbish being illegally dumped and posted the footage on social media. After it was shared with Executive Mayor Jason Perry, he passed it to the Council enforcement team.

Officers traced the vehicle owner and issued a £400 fixed penalty notice. The council said the fine has since been paid.

The case has become the council’s example of how resident evidence can move from a social media post to an enforcement outcome. It also signals that vehicle details, footage and local knowledge can all become relevant when officers investigate fly-tipping.

Readers following similar enforcement action elsewhere may also want to read about how another council tackled a fly-tipping hotspot with fines and surveillance.

Reporting evidence without confronting offenders

Residents who see fly-tipping are being encouraged to report it and share evidence, but the safest route is to avoid confrontation and record details only where it is safe to do so.

Useful evidence can include the location, time, vehicle registration, a description of the waste, and any footage or photographs. The council’s appeal is also aimed at people who may recognise individuals or vehicles from the CCTV clips now being circulated through its own website.

For enforcement teams, identification is often the barrier between a report and a penalty. A clear clip may show the act itself, but local recognition can help confirm who was involved or where investigators should look next.

Mayor says offenders will be pursued

Executive Mayor Jason Perry said residents were “rightly fed-up” with people treating Croydon’s streets as a dumping ground and said the Thornton Heath case showed what can happen when the public and council work together.

“Someone thought they could dump rubbish on one of our high streets and get away with it. They were caught, traced and fined,” he said.

Perry said the zero-tolerance campaign would continue with clips of fly-tipping being shared publicly and residents encouraged to contact the council if they recognise people in the footage.

“Zero-tolerance is not just a slogan; it is backed by real enforcement action to restore pride in our neighbourhoods. If you fly-tip in Croydon and you are caught, you will be pursued and you will be fined.”

Source: Croydon Council

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This report is based on Croydon Council’s published account of its fly-tipping enforcement campaign and resident appeal.

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• Checked the stated enforcement action: a £400 fixed penalty notice linked to the Thornton...
• Kept the geographic scope to Croydon and Thornton Heath, as described in the council accou...
• Attributed the enforcement campaign and quoted comments to Executive Mayor Jason Perry.
• Separated council claims from practical reporting guidance for residents.

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Croydon Council

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Croydon

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2026-05-29 16:22

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#council enforcement#Croydon#Croydon Council#environmental crime#fly-tipping#Jason Perry#Thornton Heath

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