FIFE is the third-worst area in Scotland for fly-tipping.

New figures show the Kingdom reported 8,413 cases since September 2019, only behind Glasgow and Edinburgh.

Former Dunfermline MP Willie Rennie, now North East Fife MSP, has demanded action by the council.

He said: “Not only does fly-tipping spoil the appearance of our iconic countryside and towns in Fife but it can also be devastating for crops and animals. These figures show that this is a widespread issue in our area, yet only a tiny fraction of cases ever result in a fine or a trip to court.

“We need to see Fife Council using the powers at their disposal to clamp down on this disgusting behaviour and ensure that repeat offenders especially feel the full force of the law."

Convener of Fife Council’s environment and protective services sub-committee, Councillor Ross Vettraino, said: "Fife is Scotland’s third-largest local authority and it’s no surprise therefore that only Edinburgh and Glasgow are reporting higher instances of fly-tipping.

“However, there's no excuse for fly-tipping, which is a blatant disregard of the law and of our outdoor environment.

"No-one wants to see rubbish dumped, and it has a direct impact on the condition of our roads, parks, wildlife and communities."

The figures also showed that the council issued just 130 fixed penalty notices in this period, whereas the fourth-largest local authority, North Lanarkshire, issued 121, out of only 1,146 cases.

Only three of these incidents were reported to the prosecutor fiscal – South Lanarkshire, the fifth-largest authority, reported 13.

Wendy Chamberlain, North East Fife MP, said: “The pandemic has created a big problem with refuse collections disrupted and tips closed for long periods of time.

"So, it’s no surprise that this has been a particular issue, but the lack of action from the Scottish Government and Fife Council has effectively legalised littering, with no consequences for people breaking the law and no recourse for those impacted.

"We want to see new restitution orders which makes offenders think again, and increased support for farmers and those who bear the brunt of fly-tipping to help them with the costs of dealing with the clear-up.”

In response, Cllr Vettraino said: “The council has a ‘zero tolerance’ approach to any such illegal activity and will take steps to identify those doing so. Fines for fly-tipping start at £200 but can increase to £40,000.

"We're grateful to the people of Fife for reporting fly-tipping and urge them to keep doing so using our online form at www.fife.gov.uk/flytipping

"Fife has 11 household waste recycling centres and 271 recycling points for local people to use.

"Our recycling centres are open and we would urge people to make use of these facilities and dispose of recyclable waste responsibly.

"Please also check that anyone you ask to take your waste away is properly registered to do so.

"Businesses have a legal duty to dispose of their waste responsibly."