Parliamentary candidate Jackie Doyle-Price has slammed the lack of action on organised crime and fly-tipping in Thurrock after a visit from Environment Secretary Liz Truss.

Ms Doyle-Price, who has blamed organised crime for the notorious mile-long fly-tip in Purfleet, said authorities had allowed perpetrators to 'get off scot-free.'

She said: "It is hardly surprising that Thurrock has become a focus for this activity when the authorities allow the perpetrators to get off scot free. While ever this activity goes unchallenged it will continue.

“It was perfectly clear who was responsible for the fly-tipping in Purfleet. Their vehicles should have been seized to pay for the clear up. The powers are there.”

Environment Secretary Liz Truss, who visited the notorious fly-tip mile in Purfleet with Jackie, said: "Litter and fly-tipping blights our communities.

"It's vital that local councils use all of the powers we have given them and every tool at their disposal to deal with this anti-social and environmentally-damaging scourge.

“In the last Parliament, we introduced tougher sentencing guidelines for environmental crimes and made it easier for enforcement authorities to stop, search and instantly seize vehicles suspected of being involved in waste crime.

“In the next Parliament, we will review the case for higher Fixed Penalty Notices for littering and allow councils to tackle small-scale fly-tipping through Penalty Notices rather than costly prosecutions.”

Speaking of the proposed action by the Conservatives, Ms Doyle-Price said: "I am really pleased that we have come up with some clear proposals to tackle this organised criminal activity. But it is important that having given these powers, the police, the council and the Environment Agency make use of them."

The ex-MP said that in recent years Thurrock has been blighted by organised criminal fly-tipping which blights the landscape.

1500 tonnes of illegally dumped waste is still visible from the Arterial Road in Purfleet whilst Thurrock hit the headlines for a month after fly-tipped waste extending for a mile was dumped by the river in Purfleet.