‘WE HAVE to be diligent’ against flytipping, Launceston’s mayor told her town council colleagues last week.

The council recently received a letter complaining of flytipping and rats at Castle Dyke from Launceston resident Joan Heaton, who is also a councillor on St Stephen by Launceston Rural Parish Council.

At the town council’s meeting last week, January 16, Cllr John Harris said: “Will Cllr Heaton’s letter about Castle Dyke be brought to [Cornwall Council leader Adam Paynter’s] attention?

“It’s becoming a lot worse down Castle Dyke and it’s not the residents. There have been several sightings of people coming there because they can’t be bothered to go to the tip.”

Mayor Cllr Margaret Young said: “I’m sure Cllr Paynter will deal with it. It has been dealt with before. Flytipping is a problem all over the place. We have to be diligent.”

Mrs Heaton’s letter read: “My back garden gate opens onto Castle Dyke in Launceston and I have reported fly tipping there to Cornwall Council on various occasions over the last 15 years.

“Over the Christmas/new year period, the fly tipping was particularly bad and residents were complaining about rats along Castle Dyke. I can verify that as my cat has been bringing rats into the house as ‘gifts’.

“Cornwall Council has been very prompt in removing household equipment dumped there and we were helped by councillor Barry Jordan who heard about the mess and had a direct line to Cornwall Council. He made a suggestion that Launceston Town Council liaise with Cornwall Council about this problem to find a solution.

“Residents have considered asking the retail outlets to install cameras to catch the culprits. Cars have even been seen backing into Castle Dyke and offloading rubbish before driving away. Could Launceston Town Council consider this problem as it is getting worse and it is becoming a health hazard?”

In the response, town clerk Christopher Drake said the council had received complaints with ‘similar concerns’.

Town council and Cornwall Council representatives met on site there recently. Whilst on site they spoke to a resident and advised them to contact the town council if there were any issues or concerns and that the town council would then liaise with Cornwall Council officers.