Edinburgh council weighs up dedicated fly-tipping squad after £650,000 private contractor bill
Pilot scheme proposed to tackle fly-tipping hotspots on housing land
Councillors will consider “alternative” ways to tackle fly-tipping after it was revealed illegal dumping cost the council over £650,000 from private contractors in recent years.
The figure came to light after questions were raised over how the authority responds to fly-tipping complaints on council land.
Strips of land “adjacent to parks or housing” can fall outside the responsibility of council waste and cleansing staff, requiring outside contractors.
Most of the fly-tipping beyond Waste and Cleansing remit happens on Housing (HRA) land, and is normally dealt with by third-party workers. Councillor Campbell asked what steps could be taken to “in-source” the clean up work at Full Council in May 2026.
Data now shows that over £650,000 of Housing funds were spent on private contractors to remove fly-tipping from HRA land. The funds were used in the five years leading to September 2025.
A report acknowledged that cooperation between council Waste and Cleansing, and Housing staff was “not consistent”.
Removal of fly-tipped rubbish often relies on “staff being brought out on overtime to reduce the impact on the statutory duties,” according to a report published ahead of the Transport and Environment Committee meeting on November 12.
More formal arrangements for collecting rubbish in these areas was flagged as a potential solution.
The report reads: “This would reduce the need for this work to be carried out on an overtime basis, or via a contractor, which in turn would reduce the cost to the HRA, reduce the reliance on private contractors and subject to the success of the trial could create council jobs.”
A dedicated cleaning team for the Northeast Locality has been proposed, which would attend to Housing land for six months. The crew of four would identify fly-tipping hot spots and reduce community impact during the pilot period.
The squad and their vehicle would cost £150,000 for a full year, excluding waste disposal costs. If the service is successful, officers proposed rolling it out on a citywide basis.
Officers said the full costs would be paid for from an HRA cost centre and “would therefore not require any formal budget transfer.”
Documents added: “In addition to the dedicated resource for fly-tipping there are opportunities to further support the power washing and graffiti removal for Council properties as closer working relationships are formed.”
Councillors have been asked to note the proposals at the upcoming Transport and Environment Committee meeting.