A CUMBRIAN man has been taken to court for the fourth time for failing to remove rubbish from his yard.

Robert Blair, of Barnes Road, Workington appeared at West Cumbria Magistrates’ Court last week after Allerdale Council decided to prosecute him for failing to comply with an untidy site notice.

Blair was fined £1,500 and ordered to pay a £150 surcharge as well as £100 costs.

A Section 215 untidy site notice is a legal order which is used when a local authority considers that the condition of land or buildings is having a harmful effect on the area.

A spokesman for Allerdale Council said after the case: “Mr Blair had previously been found guilty in April 2018, August 2017 and November 2016 of failing to comply with notices issued by the council.

“The council had taken action against Mr Blair after he had failed to clear a large amount of waste materials from his property.”

The spokesman said Mr Blair pleaded guilty to the latest offence and explained that personal circumstances had prevented him from getting the material removed.

He informed the court of his intention to appoint contractors to clear the site as soon as possible.

Mark Fryer, the council’s executive member with responsibility for planning, said: “The council takes legal action as a last resort and we’d prefer to work with the individuals concerned to come to an outcome everyone is happy with. However, this case shows that if people repeatedly fail to comply with the planning rules, then we will use every power we have to take action.”