HAMPSHIRE waste chiefs are to hold urgent talks with Government over plans to scrap controversial tip fees.

Westminster environment bosses have launched a war on flytippers and say the fees have led to more illegal dumping.

The charges were brought in to Hampshire and Southampton last year in a bid to keep local waste centres open.

And county leaders say that due to the fees the number of flytipping incidents have actually been slashed.

It comes after a mountain of rubble was dumped at a Hampshire beauty spot in the latest in a long line of flytipping cases.

This incident happened in the middle of a New Forest car park when mound of builder’s waste – including plaster board and huge bags – was discovered over the Easter weekend at Darkwater Car Park near Exbury Gardens.

It is the latest in a string of flytipping across the forest in the past few weeks, which have included:

l Hundreds of used tyres left in the middle of road in Ringwood

l Asbestos and pipes and a washing machine dumped at Furzey Common

l Fence panels, car parts and rubbish discarded in Ashurst

Now one New Forest Conservative councillor Alexis McEvoy is backing calls to scrap the controversial charges

“There has been a fly-tipping problem for some time now in the New Forest,” Cllr McEvoy said.

“The big problem is that some people have to pay to dump their rubbish, and some of those irresponsible people decide they will get rid of it somewhere else instead.

“Hopefully the removal of charges will encourage people to get rid of their rubbish responsibly.”

But county council leader Roy Perry, inset left, who is planning to meet government ministers to discuss the plans, said he will be explaining that the council’s current strategy against fly-tipping is working, after a reduction of more than 30 per cent in cases over the last six months.

Currently, charges for non-household DIY waste stand at £2.50 to get rid of a 30 litre bag of soil and rubble, and up to £10 for a sheet of plasterboard.

Last year scores of angry residents across the county protest ed against plans to close waste centres as councils tried to save £1.2million a year.

To compromise, council chiefs slashed opening hours and brought in charges to offset costs.

But under new plans it will be announced that the throwing away of this type of waste should not incur a fee.

Fresh guidance would also be issued to councils reminding them it is illegal to charge DIY enthusiasts to dispose of household waste at the tip; current guidance outlaws the fees, despite the fact they are imposed.

A statement from the county council said: “We believe that the most important factors in reducing fly tipping are keeping local facilities open, which we have been able to do by introducing these charges, as well as opening up our sites for small businesses to use for a modest fee, and enforcement against fly tippers.”

According to data from the Environment Department (Defra), clearing 936,090 reported cases of fly-tipping in England through 2015/2016 cost councils £49.8 million.

Last month the county council revealed plans to employ a £50,000 a year post to crack down on fly-tipping across the region.

Earlier this year the Daily Echo reported how a speed boat and a trailer had been left fly tipped behind the Oxfam Furniture store in Shirley.

Southampton City Council’s cabinet member for environment Cllr Jacqui Rayment said: “If you give people something for free, they’ll do what they like with it.

“That’s why with the fee, people were more careful with their waste.”