In recent years, fly-tipping has skyrocketed by a fifth whilst the number of prosecutions has fallen by the same amount. The failure to punish these criminals has left our high streets, roads and countryside buried under an avalanche of rubbish.

Having campaigned on this issue during my time in opposition, I strongly welcome the new Government’s tough stance on fly-tipping and waste crime. For far too long, under previous Governments, waste criminals and fly-tippers who blight our communities went unpunished undeterred. That ends now.

Councils will now have the power to work with the police to identify, seize, and crush vehicles used by waste criminals. Drones and mobile CCTV cameras will be deployed to track down the cars and vans used by fly-tippers so they can be taken off our streets and destroyed.

Those who operate illegally will face serious consequences – with new legislation introducing prison sentences of up to five years for those caught transporting or dealing with waste unlawfully.

These are strong but necessary steps to clean our streets, both here in Erith and Thamesmead and across Britain as well. I will continue to keep a close eye on how this policy is implemented locally, and I welcome any concerns or suggestions constituents may have as we work together to tackle this important local issue.

Pleased the Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs personally addressed this vital issue facing Erith and Thamesmead in the video above.