![PRESS RELEASE : Privy Council appointments [June 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/downingstreet-150x150.png)
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 10 June 2026.
The King has approved the following new appointments to His Majesty’s Most Honourable Privy Council:
![PRESS RELEASE : Billions in pension surpluses to be unlocked [June 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/dwp-150x150.png)
The press release issued by the Department for Work and Pensions on 10 June 2026.
New proposals setting out how billions of pounds in DB pension scheme surpluses could be safely released have been launched today (10 June), helping unlock billions of pounds for the UK economy.
New proposals setting out how billions of pounds in DB pension scheme surpluses could be safely released have been launched today (10th June), helping unlock billions of pounds for the UK economy.
Launched by the Minister for Pensions today, the consultation sets out plans to give trusteesthe flexibility to release some surplus funds to benefit employers, scheme members and the wider economy.
Funding levels for DB pension schemes are currently in their strongest ever financial position, with the number of schemes in surplus having quadrupled over the last five years, meaning that for most schemes assets now exceed the value of promised pension benefits.
The proposals include strong protections for scheme members, including the need for independent certification that scheme funding will remain strong after any surplus release.Changes to tax law will also make it easier for schemes to allow scheme members to benefit from a surplus release.
Following the passing of the Pension Schemes Act, this consultation marks the next stage in a programme of reform that will boost investment and benefit pension savers.
The steady world of DB pensions has seen a huge change take place. For the first time in a generation, DB pension schemes are in a genuinely strong financial position – with the vast majority of schemes now having a surplus. This is something well worth celebrating.
Now is the time to give trustees the option of safely translating some of those surpluses into real benefits for members and employers.
The plans will strengthen regulatory oversight, with trustees required to notify The Pensions Regulator (TPR) of surplus release detailing information such as a scheme’s assets, liabilities and surplus payments to employers and members. TPR and the Financial Reporting Council will also be providing further guidance and support to the regulations.
The consultation will run for 12-weeks with the new regime expected to be in place from April 2027.
The Pensions Regulator has today issued a statement to help trustees understand the best practice now under the current regulatory framework.
Many well run, well governed and well-funded defined benefit schemes are also considering how to safely release surplus to enhance member benefits and strengthen sponsoring employers. To help, today, we have set out the principles schemes should follow when making decisions on surplus which we will continue to evolve as the new regulatory framework emerges.
The consultation swiftly builds on the landmark Pension Schemes Act 2026 that received royal assent in April and forms part of the Government’s wider programme to reform the pensions system to support savers pensions and investment in the wider economy.
![PRESS RELEASE : Made in Space – UK funding boosts breakthrough space technologies [June 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/12/science-150x150.png)
The press release issued by the Department for Science, Innovation and Technology on 10 June 2026.
UK Space Minister unveils more than £19 million at London Tech Week to support British companies developing next-generation space technologies.
Britain’s space ambitions received a major boost today (10 June), with Space Minister Liz Lloyd announcing more than £19 million for cutting-edge technologies that could transform manufacturing in orbit and help keep space safe.
Speaking at London Tech Week, Minister Lloyd announced a package of more than £19 million to back British space innovation. The package will support companies developing technologies that could change how materials are made in space, make it easier to bring them back to Earth, and help keep the space environment safe and sustainable.
Cardiff-based Space Forge is pioneering in-space manufacturing, developing semiconductors in microgravity where materials can be made with fewer defects and greater uniformity – potentially improving performance in technologies such as telecoms, computing, defence and clean energy.
The company will receive £10 million, funded through an increase to the UK Space Agency’s investment in the European Space Agency’s General Support Technology Programme (GSTP), which will support a mission to design, build, launch and return ‘Pridwen’, a new deployable heat shield system designed to protect spacecraft returning to Earth.
Traditional heat shields are usually fixed, rigid structures or tiles attached to a spacecraft, which can add weight, take up space and be difficult to reuse. Pridwen is designed to deploy during re-entry, creating a larger protective surface that helps shield the spacecraft from extreme heat and pressure while making the system lighter, easier to recover and more practical to use again.
The mission will help bring Pridwen to full commercial readiness, enabling frequent and reliable return of payloads from space which is critical to the growth of the in-space manufacturing industry.
Space Minister Liz Lloyd said:
Today’s government-funded investment in Space Forge shows our commitment to keeping Britain at the forefront of the fast-growing space sector. Space Forge is developing technology that could revolutionise in-space manufacturing.
Our wider investment is also helping more British space businesses grow, bring in private backing and create high-skilled jobs across the country. That is how we build a stronger space sector and keep the UK one of the best places in the world to start and scale a space business.
Joshua Western, CEO & Co-founder, Space Forge, said:
We’re thrilled to be awarded the GSTP funding to help bring Pridwen to commercial readiness. This proprietary technology is key to enabling the safe return of our materials to Earth, which in turn unlocks the future of in-space manufacturing.
With our recent ForgeStar-1 mission we proved we can create the right manufacturing environment for next-generation semiconductor materials in space, with this newly funded mission we can prove our ability to deliver products to market.
Minister Lloyd also announced a further £9.25 million has been invested into the Space Portfolio of the UK Innovation and Science Seed (UKI2S) Fund, managed by Future Planet Capital, to help UK space businesses scale and grow, bringing the total Space Portfolio to £22 million.
This additional investment into UKI2S will further help early-stage, high-potential UK space businesses get off the ground and attract more private investment, supporting jobs and growth across the country.
The UKI2S Space Portfolio has already demonstrated success, having helped bring in more than £17 million from private investors, with every £1 of public money attracting over £5.90 in additional backing.
3 new deals have been agreed this year, helping UK space businesses bring in more than £10 million in extra private backing for work that will make space safer and improve technologies used in navigation and security:
These deals build on the Fund’s broader track record, which includes a previous £500,000 investment in Messium, a company that uses satellite data and AI to help farmers use fertiliser more efficiently, reducing costs and environmental impact. That investment helped enable a total of £2.7 million in private investment.
![PRESS RELEASE : Government welcomes expert-led recommendations for a new bovine TB eradication strategy [June 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/05/ukpol-130x90-3-150x150.jpg)
The press release issued by the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs on 10 June 2026.
Experts recommend new science-led approach aiming to protect farmers and reduce infection.
New measures have been recommended today (Wednesday 10 June) to help tackle bovine tuberculosis (bTB) as part of the Government’s drive to achieve TB-free status for England by 2038.
Bovine TB remains one of the most significant animal health challenges facing England. The disease continues to impose a heavy emotional and financial burden on farming families, disrupt rural businesses and leads to the loss of thousands of cattle and the culling of badgers in affected areas every year.
For too long, bovine TB has constrained the full potential of England’s livestock sector. Achieving TB-free status would mean healthier cattle, stronger farm businesses and greater confidence to invest, while enhancing the reputation of British livestock and supporting future trade opportunities.
An independent steering group of farmers, scientists, veterinarians and academics was convened by Defra after the government entered office in 2024 to review and redesign England’s approach to achieve TB-free status and recommend how progress towards eradication can be accelerated.
The group has now delivered a comprehensive package of science-led recommendations for government to consider as it develops the next phase of England’s bovine TB eradication strategy.
Many of the recommendations focus on intervening earlier to prevent disease spread, including through strengthened cattle controls, improved surveillance, enhanced testing and vaccination. Together, they reflect the importance of reducing infection before it becomes established, while supporting the long-term transition away from widespread badger culling.
Bovine TB remains a deeply contested and often polarised issue, particularly around wildlife and the role of badgers in disease transmission. This government has committed to ending the badger cull by the end of this Parliament, and the 2025 culling season marked the final year of industry-led culling in England’s High Risk and Edge Areas.
This Government is determined to remove the barriers that hold farmers back from reaching their full potential. Whether it is bovine TB or other challenges facing the sector, our message is clear: we are on famers’ side.
By working together, we can protect animal health and help British agriculture succeed as we move towards our goal of achieving TB free status for England by 2038.
Bovine TB is a complex disease and eradicating it requires a sustained, evidence-led disease control approach.
The recommendations published today reflect the importance of early detection, effective ongoing surveillance and robust disease controls. Together with continued advances in areas such as vaccination, these measures can strengthen our response and accelerate our progress towards eradication.
Ministers will now carefully consider the Steering Group’s findings alongside existing evidence, stakeholder views and delivery considerations.
Fighting TB has a huge toll on farmers, veterinarians, farming businesses and their cattle. This government will continue to listen to farmers and adapt scientifically robust measures with cattle controls at the centre of disease management.
This Government is already delivering on some of these recommendations, including:
By combining strengthened cattle measures, improved testing, vaccination and wildlife disease control, the Government aims to continue driving down infection rates and move England closer to becoming TB free.
A full copy of the steering group’s recommendations has been published today on the TB Hub.
![PRESS RELEASE : Record numbers of children with mental health support in schools [June 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/10/education-150x150.png)
The press release issued by the Department for Education on 10 June 2026.
The government is on track to meet its manifesto promise that every school and college will have access to mental health support teams by the end of 2029.
Nearly six million children and young people can now access mental health support in their school or college – giving them the tools and resilience they need to stay in education and thrive as adults.
This is around 800,000 more pupils than last year, with support teams now working in almost 11,800 schools and colleges across England.
These teams are already making a clear difference. Nine in ten schools and colleges say they are improving children’s mental health and wellbeing, while seven in ten report improved attendance — helping keep pupils in school and on track for their futures.
The link between absence and lost opportunity is stark, with persistently absent pupils earning around £10,000 less by age 28. With around one million 16- to 24-year-olds not in education, employment or training – and poor mental health a major barrier – this is a key challenge holding young people back.
This reflects findings in the Milburn Review, which shows early mental health support is too often hard to access, with many young people only receiving help at crisis point. It also highlights a damaging cycle where poor mental health drives disengagement, and disengagement in turn worsens mental health.
By bringing support into schools, these teams are helping break that cycle early – ensuring children get the right support at the right time. Now, nearly 80% of secondary schools have access to a mental health support team, providing timely, practical help as pressures on young people continue to grow.
Education Secretary, Bridget Phillipson, said:
As young people navigate the pressures of school and growing up, having the right support around them is crucial — which is why I am proud that today, six million children across England can access a mental health expert in their school.
These teams are giving children the tools to manage life’s challenges, stay in school and achieve — and the evidence shows it is working. That is how we break down barriers so every young person, no matter their background, can get the most out of their education and ultimately, their childhood.
Shannel Duncan, Lead Family Support and Deputy Safeguarding Lead at Tollgate Primary School, said:
Our MHST therapist has had a hugely positive impact on students’ mental health and wellbeing – providing early support and a safe space for young people to talk openly, improving their awareness of coping strategies and emotional resilience.
Through workshops, one-to-one sessions and close collaboration with staff and families, the MHST has created a more supportive and inclusive school environment where students feel listened to, valued and better equipped to manage challenges in and outside of school.
Their continued support is invaluable – ensuring students have ongoing access to timely advice and intervention, building confidence and supporting long-term emotional health across our whole school community.
This builds on the recruitment of an additional 8,500 mental health support workers since June 2024, part of the government’s 10 Year Health Plan commitment to deliver more mental health care in the community. Frontline workers, clinicians and mental health experts are also being invited to shape a once-in-a-generation cross-government mental health strategy, driving a fundamental shift towards prevention.
Secretary of State for Health and Social Care, James Murray, said:
For far too long, some children and young people have faced mental health challenges without support which has had a detrimental impact on their wellbeing and education.
This government said we would transform mental health care, and today’s announcement shows we’re making great progress. Millions of children now have access to vital mental health support in schools, ensuring they will get the best start in life, while building upon our achievement of recruiting 8,500 more mental health workers across children’s and adult services three years ahead of schedule.”
The government is going further to transform outcomes for young people, including:
The press release issued by 10 Downing Street on 10 June 2026.
The King has approved that The Reverend Elizabeth Mary Ann Burke be appointed to a Canonry of Saint George’s Chapel, Windsor.
Mrs Burke was educated at Chester College, gaining a BA in Theology and Psychology in 1995, and at the University of Surrey, obtaining a Master of Business Administration in 2006. She trained for ministry at Westcott House, Cambridge, from 2011 to 2013, gaining a Master of Pastoral Theology. Ordained priest in 2014, she served her title as Assistant Curate in the Holy Family Mission Community, Plymouth, in the diocese of Exeter, until 2017. Since 2016 she has been an oblate of the Society of the Sacred Cross, Tymawr.
Her professional background spans the military, commercial, and charitable sectors. Beginning her career in 1996 with the Royal Signals (Territorial Army) serving in the UK and Bosnia, she subsequently moved into operations and project office management with Syntegra (BT). Between 2000 and 2006, she held a series of commercial management roles across the telecommunications, pharmaceutical, and digital print industries. Since 2006 she has focused on non-profit and public-sector organisations, notably as a Development Officer for the crime prevention charity Powys Challenge and as a Management Consultant for the Greater London Reserve Forces and Cadet Association.
From 2017 to 2022 she served as Rector of the Holsworthy Benefice in the Diocese of Exeter. In 2022 she took up her current role as Chaplain to the Isles of Scilly, in the Diocese of Truro.
The press release issued by the Department for Business and Trade on 10 June 2026.
The Business Secretary Peter Kyle is pleased to announce the appointment of Parminder Kohli as new Chief Executive Officer of the Office for Investment (OFI).
Parminder brings nearly three decades of senior leadership experience, including more than 20 years at Shell, where he has held a range of global roles across strategy, operations and commercial business lines.
He currently serves as Chair of Shell UK Ltd and Executive Vice President for Sustainability and Carbon, leading efforts to support the transition to a low-carbon economy and drive sustainable business transformation.
He has a strong track record of building high-performing organisations, delivering operational excellence, and fostering inclusive, diverse teams. Parminder has also been recognised for his leadership and advocacy, including being named in INvolve’s global lists of senior role models, and was appointed as a Social Mobility Commissioner by the UK Government in 2022.
In his new role, Parminder will be responsible for setting the strategic direction of OFI, ensuring delivery against its key priorities, and strengthening its position as a leader in its field. He will also focus on enhancing collaboration across government and with investors to support the UK’s growth mission.
Minister for Investment Lord Stockwood said:
I am delighted that Parminder Kohli will take up the role of Chief Executive Officer of the Office for Investment.
Parminder brings a wealth of senior leadership experience at a pivotal moment for our growth mission. Securing investment is essential to driving innovation, supporting regional growth, and creating lasting opportunities across the United Kingdom. I am confident that his expertise will play a key role in advancing these priorities and adding strength to an already brilliant team.
I look forward to working closely with Parminder to harness insights from across government and the private sector, strengthening our ability to drive growth through investment. Together, we will continue to foster a culture that values creativity, encourages collaboration, and delivers meaningful outcomes with continuity.
I am very pleased to welcome him to the team.
Commenting on his appointment, Parminder Kohli said:
The UK has extraordinary strengths in innovation, talent and enterprise. I am delighted to be joining the Office for Investment and look forward to working with investors, businesses and partners across government to attract investment that drives growth, creates opportunity and delivers prosperity across the United Kingdom.
Office for Investment Director General Ceri Smith said:
After nearly five years of working to attract investment into the UK, and the past 15 months radically transforming the Office for Investment into a unified and even more effective unit we are entering a new phase that calls for a CEO with a strong private-sector background who can take on a highly visible public leadership profile.
I look forward to welcoming Parminder as the new CEO and to working with him as he takes up the reins.
Parminder will start on 1 October 2026.
![PRESS RELEASE : UK Trade Envoy returns to Cambodia to boost trade and investment [June 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2025/09/newfco-150x150.png)
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 10 June 2026.
Matt Western MP, UK Trade Envoy, visits Cambodia to boost trade and investment ties, building on past engagement and reaffirming support for sustainable growth.
Phnom Penh, 10 June 2026 — The UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Cambodia, Vietnam, Thailand and Laos, Matt Western MP, is visiting Cambodia to build on previous engagements and further strengthen bilateral trade and investment ties, reaffirming the United Kingdom’s long‑standing commitment to Cambodia’s sustainable economic growth.
Speaking ahead of the visit the UK Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy, Matt Western MP said:
It is a pleasure to return to Cambodia at such an important moment in the country’s development. As Cambodia prepares to graduate from Least Developed Country status, there is a real opportunity to deepen trade and investment links, strengthen skills and education partnerships, and support the growth of Cambodian businesses. The United Kingdom is proud to work with Cambodia in areas where our strengths and ambitions align, including green infrastructure, financial services and capital markets, and education. These sectors have the potential to support sustainable growth, create jobs, attract investment and unlock long-term prosperity.
Cambodia’s open and outward-looking approach to trade and investment creates significant opportunities for deeper economic cooperation. British businesses are already making a positive contribution across the country, and there is considerable potential to strengthen commercial links further as Cambodia continues its economic transformation. During my visit, I look forward to meeting Cambodian leaders, regulators, businesses and educators to explore how we can deepen our partnership, unlock new opportunities for trade and investment, and support the next chapter of Cambodia’s growth story. By working together, we can build a future-focused partnership that delivers lasting benefits for people and businesses in both our countries.
During his visit, Mr Western will meet with senior Cambodian leaders, including H.E. Dr Sok Siphana, counterparts from the Ministry of Commerce and the Council for the Development of Cambodia. Discussions will focus on Cambodia’s key trade and investment priorities, delivery following the Joint Trade and Investment Forum (JTIF), regulatory reform, and increasing utilisation of the UK’s Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS). The meetings will also highlight the role of UK expertise and programmes, including the ASEAN-UK Economic Integration Programme (EIP), in supporting Cambodia’s long‑term growth.
Mr Western will also meet representatives from Electricité du Cambodge (EDC) to discuss Cambodia’s energy ambitions, financing partnerships, and the current and potential future role of the UK in supporting Cambodia’s energy development and transition.
In addition, he will engage with members of UK–Cambodia Capital Markets Development Working Group, delivered in partnership with BritCham Cambodia, to review progress to date, discuss next steps, and explore opportunities to position UK professional and financial services expertise in support of Cambodia’s capital market development.
As part of the programme, Mr Western will visit British businesses operating in Cambodia, including Reigate Grammar School Phnom Penh and Unilever, to highlight their contributions to job creation, skills development, and inclusive and sustainable economic growth.
He will also attend a networking reception with UK institutions, businesses, the British Chamber of Commerce, and Cambodian counterparts, aimed at strengthening collaboration and deepening partnerships on trade and development.
The UK remains committed to working closely with Cambodian partners to foster mutual prosperity and unlock new trade and investment opportunities that benefit both nations.
The press release issued by the Foreign Office on 9 June 2026.
Statement by Ambassador James Kariuki, UK Chargé d’Affaires to the UN, at the UN Security Council meeting on Iran.
We meet at a time of heightened tension in the region.
As my Foreign Secretary said, the resumption of conflict between Iran and Israel is in no one’s interest. Both sides must show restraint.
For over two decades, the international community has sought clarity and assurance about the exclusively peaceful nature of Iran’s proliferation activities.
Instead, Iran has continued to expand its nuclear programme in ways that lack any credible civilian justification.
Iran is the only state without nuclear weapons to accumulate over 400kg of high enriched uranium, as well as persistently fail to meet its safeguard obligations.
Iran’s failure to cooperate fully with the IAEA erodes confidence and raises serious questions about intent.
The IAEA’s reporting from May on Iran’s safeguards implementation was damning.
The Agency is unable to draw safeguards conclusions for Iran, citing sustained gaps in monitoring, a lack of credible cooperation on longstanding issues, including refusal of access to nuclear sites, and an inability to verify the peaceful nature of Iran’s nuclear programme.
That trajectory is deeply troubling.
It risks further weakening the global non-proliferation regime at a time when it is already under strain.
Against this backdrop, the full and effective implementation of reinstated UN sanctions remains essential.
The sanctions measures contained within the six reinstated UN Security Council resolutions, including Resolution 1737, are targeted measures to constrain Iran’s proliferation and protect international security.
They impose a ban on nuclear technology and materials, and impose asset freezes on key individuals and entities linked to Iran’s enrichment programme.
All UN Member States are obliged to comply fully and without exception. Those seeking to evade or undermine these measures should cease immediately.
Any efforts to dilute the restrictions weakens our collective security.
President, we regret that Russia and China continue to impede the sanctions which this Council is entrusted to uphold.
We urge all members of the Council to act in good faith so that the Committee can fulfil its mandate effectively, including through the agreement of 90-day reports and appointments to the Panel of Experts.
We also call for the prompt appointment of a Chair, and we look forward to the Secretary-General’s report on the implementation of resolution 2231.
President, our objective remains unchanged.
IAEA reports are clear about Iran’s non-compliance, and we are clear in our purpose: we want to see a negotiated settlement that provides verifiable assurances of a peaceful nuclear programme.
The United Kingdom remains firmly committed to a lasting and sustainable diplomatic solution that ensures Iran never develops a nuclear weapon.
![PRESS RELEASE : Pair guilty after waste dumped in Norfolk [June 2026]](https://www.ukpol.co.uk/wp-content/uploads/2022/08/environmentagency.png)
The press release issued by the Environment Agency on 9 June 2026.
Surveillance cameras spot vehicles – five now prosecuted over village dumps.
A man and a woman have been fined and forced to pay legal costs after waste was dumped in a Norfolk village.
A van owned by Rebecca Simper was seen at 2 locations in Clenchwarton being watched by the Environment Agency. Meanwhile, Luke Webb’s white Ford Transit tipper truck was captured by covert cameras at one of the sites.
Simper admitted owning a vehicle used to dump waste at Kenfield Farm in January 2024, after being presented with footage from an Environment Agency drone camera. She later failed to respond to 4 notices requiring her to name the driver.
King’s Lynn magistrates fined her £200, ordering costs of £1,701.08, and a victim surcharge of £108.
In a separate legal case, but linked to Simper’s by location, Webb was fined £200 by Norwich magistrates’ court for pleading guilty after his truck was caught on camera at Clockcase Road in April 2023.
He also failed to answer official notices requiring him to identify who was behind the wheel. The court awarded costs of £850 to the Environment Agency and an £80 victim surcharge against Webb.
The Environment Agency had been watching both Clockcase Road and the farm since 2018 for signs of criminality. Clockcase Road includes 15 hectares of land close to the Great River Ouse, farmland and residential housing.
Last year, the Environment Agency prosecuted 2 other local men for dumping waste at Clockcase Road. Philip Moore, of West Winch, was fined £600, with costs and a victim surcharge of £1,014, while Fred Harris, of Swavesey, was given 100 hours of unpaid work and identical costs.
Phil Henderson, enforcement team leader for the Environment Agency in East Anglia, said:
We don’t have to prove the identity of the driver to bring prosecutions for waste crime. Vehicles registered to Luke Webb and Rebecca Simper were caught on camera at illegal waste sites. Like 2 men prosecuted over Clockcase Road last year, they have paid the penalty.
Waste crime blights communities. It harms the environment, with a devastating effect on rivers and wildlife.
The Environment Agency is ramping up the fight against waste criminals. Its 10-point plan includes making greater use of restriction notices to shut down illegal waste operations immediately. Ignoring a restriction notice could land someone a year in prison.
More drone flights to track illegal waste sites, more specialist staff to pull apart organised crime gangs, and new tech to match lorry licences to waste permits will all help the Environment Agency spot dumps quicker, disrupt illegal activity sooner, and flag suspect operators before they can move waste illegally.
Simper first came to the Environment Agency’s attention at Clockcase Road on 19 April 2023. Her Ford Luton van was seen there, despite a restriction order barring access.
It was a distinctive blue, with “MT Removals” written on the side. MT Removals was a trading name and not connected to any other company of the same or similar name.
DVLA checks prompted the Environment Agency to write to Simper to ask who was driving. They heard nothing back.
A week later, Luke Webb’s tipper truck with an open back covered by tarpaulin was seen on the land at Clockcase Road, with 2 men inside. When it was driven away, the tarpaulin was gone, with no load.
Having traced the truck to Webb, the Environment Agency wrote to him, asking who was driving that Sunday in late April. He didn’t reply.
Investigators wrote to Webb again twice more. Again, no response.
Webb failed to appear at court in July last year when charged with ignoring the notice, and a warrant was issued for his arrest. Justice caught up with the 32-year-old when he surrendered to Norfolk Police last month, and was taken straight to court.
In the first few weeks of 2024, 8 months after Simper’s van was seen at Clockcase Road, it was caught by a drone camera at Kenfield Farm.
A man and woman were seen unloading wood and other material, tossing it onto piles of waste already there. This was in breach of a stop notice issued two years previously that meant the dumping and burning of waste at the farm was illegal.
Luke Webb, of Saddlebow Caravan Park, and Rebecca Simper, 42, of Saddlebow Road, both in Saddlebow, were charged with failing to provide the Environment Agency with information of the driver of their respective vehicles, contrary to section 71 (3) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990. One count against Webb; 2 against Simper.
She was also charged with controlling, or being in a position to control, her van at Kenfield Farm, to knowingly cause the dumping of controlled waste without an environmental permit, contrary to section 33(1) and (5) of the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
Last year, the Environment Agency prosecuted 2 other local men for dumping waste at Clockcase Road. Philip Moore, of West Winch, was fined £600, with costs and a victim surcharge of £1,014, while Fred Moore, of Swavesey, was given 100 hours of unpaid work and identical costs.
Another man, Danny Thorpe, is due to face trial in November for allegedly breaching a restriction order closing the land in Clockcase Road, and ignoring a stop notice at Kenfield Farm. He owns both. Thorpe was also charged with disposing of waste at the farm without a permit and likely to cause pollution or harm to human health.
Anyone who suspects waste crime can report it to the Environment Agency’s 24-hour incident hotline, 0800 807060, or to CrimeStoppers on 0800 555111.