Over £6000 court fine on the menu for Ilford takeaway shop caught making a mess in the borough.

An Ilford food outlet that fly-tipped rubbish and left its commercial waste bin overflowing, surrounded by sacks of food and kitchen waste, has been successfully prosecuted by Redbridge Council for a second time.

In the latest prosecution Kome Express Ilford Ltd, in Chapel Road, was ordered to pay £6075 in court fines and costs for fly-tipping and failing to store its commercial waste properly.

The business was already on the Council’s radar following a similar prosecution last year, resulting in the takeaway shop forking out £4,801 in fines and court costs.

The most recent legal action came after complaints over how the shop was storing its commercial waste and reports that the food outlet was dumping some of its rubbish into local people’s bins.

Following up on community concerns, a Redbridge Enforcement Officer attended the location and found multiple black bags of food, kitchen and packaging waste in and around the commercial waste bin belonging to Kome Express.  Several open bags of waste containing rotting food – likely to attract vermin - were also found left in a yard near to the rear of the shop. 

The grim discovery led to the business being issued with a legal notice under section 47 of the Environmental Protection Act 1990 (EPA), specifying requirements as to how its commercial waste should be stored.

However, during unannounced compliance checks on Kome Express, Redbridge Enforcement Officers found the shop ignoring the legal notice with its commercial waste bin overfilled, and bags and waste being left on the ground. Kitchen waste, including food order tickets from Kome Express, were also discovered in nearby wheelie bins meant for residents to dispose of their household waste.

The company was issued with five fixed penalty notices (FPNs) as a result. The FPNs remained unpaid despite reminder letters being sent - eventually leading to another court action against Kome Express.

The company, was summonsed to court on 4 charges of failing to comply with the EPA Notice and one charge of fly-tipping.

After failing to attend Barkingside Magistrates Court on Tuesday 18 March, the case against Kome Express Ilford Ltd was heard and proved in its absence, landing the company with fines as well as court and council costs totalling £6,075.

Redbridge Cabinet Member for Enforcement and Community Safety, Cllr Khayer Chowdhury, said: “We all have a responsibility to keep our borough clean and tidy, and this includes businesses. The failure to correctly store commercial waste presents a threat to the environment and public health, as well as being an eyesore for local communities. The majority of our local businesses act responsibly and store their commercial waste properly. But for those who aren’t doing this or think they can get away with fly-tipping their rubbish, this prosecution should serve as a strong warning that Redbridge Council will continue taking tough action against those businesses who refuse to act responsibly and legally when disposing of their waste.”

For more information on waste and waste services in Redbridge go to: https://www.redbridge.gov.uk/bins-waste-and-recycling/

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