Our Man in Westminster Column
The terrible desecration of Hoad’s Wood near Bethersden by repeated fly-tipping has gone well beyond being a local story and is now featuring in national newspapers as well as national news bulletins.
It is clear that effective action to stop the dumping took too long to introduce, which is why the mounds of rubbish are so big. But the most important immediate task is to ensure that the rubbish is removed as fast as possible so that the area can be made safe and begin its journey back to being a protected Site of Special Scientific Interest.
I have been badgering Ministers and the Environment Agency about the matter for some time now, as well as chairing the residents’ meetings on the subject. The most recent response I have had from the Environment Agency sets out a number of actions they are now taking.
These range from monitoring the water quality and air quality in the vicinity of the site to allowing a local waste operator on to assess the volume of the waste there and therefore how much it will cost to remove it. The EA is developing a public health risk assessment along with Kent County Council and the Health Security Agency.
Clearly this is a start but does not necessarily lead to the vital action of taking the waste away from Hoad’s Wood. So this has to be the next step. I have urged Ministers to take any decision that is needed at their level as fast as possible, so the Environment Agency can proceed with the practical organisation on the ground.
This is important not only for the residents who are rightly enraged by what has happened, but for the long-term future of a beautiful part of the Kent countryside. This must be remedied soon, and lessons learned for the future.
