A councillor sparked a heated debate at a meeting by calling for CCTV cameras to be installed at a “notorious dumping area”.

Mo Mills, who represents the Vicarage Ward, put forward the motion at a council meeting at the Town Hall, in Watford, on Tuesday evening.

She said she was “fed up” of fly-tippers blighting Chester Road, in Watford, and believes the cameras will help cut down on the amount of rubbish being left on the street.

She said during the meeting: “CCTV is an effective deterrent when it is used throughout the town centre and it has been used in Victoria Passage so will the council not be proactive and do the same here?

“It would be a good way for the problem to be stamped out.”

Cllr Robbie Laird disagreed with her views and questioned how “proactive” cllr Mills was being in order to tackle the issue.

He said: “I urge all councillors to be proactive themselves as fly-tipping is not just a problem in West Watford.

“You seem to think you’re tax-paying reporters for fly-tipping. I represent Callowland and work with officers to try to get hotspots sorted out.

“Try being proactive yourselves and doing something about it.”

His comment was met with groans of disapproval from cllr Mills but he continued: “What have you done about it?

“Have you spoken to officers? We are all councillors, not just residents and can get stuff done about it. If they are really fed up then maybe they should elect a much more proactive councillor.”

Cllr Matt Turmaine hit back with: “We are all proactive, as fly-tipping is a serious problem.

“Cameras could be responsive and get things done quicker, but it could create a culture where they expect fly-tipping to be removed.

“I cannot imagine the CCTV is beyond the realms of the council’s budget. The culprits need to be prosecuted.”

Cllr David Barks said that certain areas around Watford “do not get preferential treatment”.

He said: “There is a misunderstanding that if only the bins had a camera then there would not be a problem.

“There is no evidence that CCTV acts as a deterrent, it just helps ensure a conviction.”

Deputy Mayor Peter Taylor spoke next and said: “They blame the council but not the fly-tippers.

“I spoke to a resident who said that Veolia was not responding when actually they had left a voicemail on Mo’s answerphone but it was not working.”

A stunned Asif Khan replied: “A councillor has gone and asked for personal information about another councillor.

“Fly-tipping happens across Watford and I have worked with officers closely. I even broke Eid celebrations to work with officers.”

At the end of the meeting, cllr Mills summed up with: “I do not want to say anything else, it has all been said.”

The motion was not approved by a majority.