Man fined for collecting scrap illegally in Pontypool

A Caerphilly man has been made to pay £370 for illegally collecting scrap metal without a licence in Pontypool. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Justin Kidley, 42, of Lon yr Odyn, Caerphilly, was stopped by Torfaen council’s licencing officers in June 2015 when he was spotted collecting scrap metal from households in the Trevethin area of Pontypool. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

He pleaded guilty to acting as a scrap metal dealer without the relevant licence, and was fined £200, ordered to pay costs of £150 and a victim surcharge of £20, at Cwmbran Magistrates Court on February 1 2016, ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Councillor Gwyneria Clark, executive member for housing, planning and public protection, said: “Waste collected illegally often ends up as fly tipping, blighting our green spaces and beauty sports, which is why it is so important that we crack down on dealers operating without the correct licences. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

“We would advise anyone collecting scrap metal in Torfaen to ensure they have a licence, and encourage the public to get in touch with us if they suspect someone is collecting scrap illegally.” ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

Dealing in scrap metal, or running a scrap metal business, is controlled by the Scrap Metal Dealers Act 2013 and dealers need to apply for a separate licence for each local authority they wish to operate in. ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​

More information on obtaining a scrap metal license is available at www.torfaen.gov.uk ‌​‌​‌​​​‍‌​‌​​‌‌‌‍‌​‌‌​​‌​‍‌​‌‌‌​‌‌‍‌​‌‌‌‌​​