Telford shop owners ordered to pay £8,000 over commercial waste offences

Two Telford store owners have been told to pay more than £4,000 each after pleading guilty to three commercial waste management offences.

The owners of Finger Road Stores in Dawley have been fined after admitting three offences relating to commercial waste management.

Telford & Wrekin Council said the shop’s owners, Mr and Mrs Bhakar, pleaded guilty to two offences of failing to provide waste management documentation and one offence of failing to ensure controlled waste was transferred to an authorised person.

The prosecution followed an investigation by the council into waste management practices at the premises.

On July 27, 2023, the council served Finger Road Stores with a notice under Section 47 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. The notice required the business to ensure its commercial waste was properly secured, managed and maintained.

It also reminded the owners of their legal responsibility to have appropriate waste contracts in place, including regular scheduled collections supported by receipts.

The notice followed a duty of care inspection prompted by concerns about the shop’s waste management practices.

During a second inspection, Mr and Mrs Bhakar were asked to provide documentation relating to the store’s waste management arrangements by July 2, 2024.

Telford & Wrekin Council said they failed to supply the requested records.

The court heard that the couple believed they had a waste contract in place during the relevant period and that the invoices they received were legitimate. However, they accepted they had made a mistake by paying in cash.

The court was also told that the business has since secured a legitimate waste contract.

The court fined each defendant £750 for the first offence, £1,000 for the second offence and £500 for the third offence.

In addition, a victim surcharge of £900 was imposed and, prosecution costs of £1,734.17 were awarded, to be shared equally between the defendants.

It means the total amount payable by each defendant is £4,017.

Councillor Nathan England, Telford & Wrekin Council’s cabinet member for Safer Streets and Better Housing, said all businesses had a legal responsibility to ensure their waste was handled correctly and that they could provide evidence of how it was managed.

He added: "This case serves as an important reminder that businesses have a Duty of Care to take reasonable steps to ensure waste is transferred only to authorised persons and that appropriate records are kept. These measures help protect the environment and support efforts to tackle waste crime and fly-tipping across the borough.

"We will continue to investigate and take enforcement action where businesses fail to meet their legal duties."

The council is encouraging businesses that are unsure about their waste disposal responsibilities to seek advice and familiarise themselves with the relevant legal requirements.

Guidance on the Duty of Care for commercial waste is available at Telford & Wrekin Council’s website.