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Ex-council leader in duo fined for ‘illegal’ ELV site

Two men have been convicted of waste offences after depositing, storing and dismantling end of life vehicles (ELVs) at their site in Hampshire, the Environment Agency has said.

Robert Rickman and his brother Barry, who resigned as leader of New Forest district council in April after the pair pleaded guilty, were both sentenced after a hearing at West Hampshire magistrates court.

The Environment Agency said it found 150-200 vehicles stored across the site

According to the Environment Agency, following a report from a member of the public about waste burning at the site, officers attended and “warned Mr Rickman that he needed a permit”.

Agency officers found “the scrap yard was being operated illegally and 150-200 vehicles and numerous car parts were stored across the site”.

The Agency said “Mr Rickman stated he would clear the site”, but after several meetings over the next 12 months “it was clear that very few vehicles had been removed”.

Robert Rickman was handed 4 months imprisonment suspended for 12 months, ordered to undertake 150 hours of community service, pay costs of £1,000 and a victim surcharge of £128.

Barry Rickman was prosecuted for knowingly permitting the operation of a regulated facility illegally, namely a waste operation for the deposit, treatment and storage of waste and was fined £2,000 and ordered to pay costs of £1,000 and Victim Surcharge of £190.

The waste came from innocent members of the public

– Nick Gray, acting area director for the Environment Agency

Reminder

Nick Gray, acting area director for the Environment Agency, said: “We gave Robert and Barry Rickman every opportunity to clear the site, which they did not do. The waste came from innocent members of the public, unaware their vehicles were being stored and dismantled illegally, which undermined legitimate waste operators and blights the local community and environment.

“The conviction of the Rickmans serves as a reminder to people who exploit the waste industry that we are dedicated to pursuing law-breakers from the crime to the courtroom”.

Offences

The offence Mr Robert Rickman has committed is contrary to regulations 12(1), 38(1)(a) and 39(1) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016. The offence Mr Barry Rickman has committed is contrary to Regulation 12(1)(a) and 38(1)(b) of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016 Regulations.

Both Mr Robert Rickman and Mr Barry Rickman were also issued with a court order under the provisions of Regulation 44 of the Environmental Permitting (England and Wales) Regulations 2016, requiring them to remove all remaining end of life vehicles (ELVs) and waste from the land in question within the next 12 months. There are currently in excess of 30 ELVs plus waste vehicle parts left on the site.

From 6 April 2010 anyone operating a regulated facility to recover or dispose of waste can only do so in accordance with an environmental permit granted under the Environmental Permitting Regulations.


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