Witchford and Bluntisham recycling centres could close permanently, depending on the outcome of a county council consultation which closes this Friday (26 September).
Members of the public are invited to complete the consultation online. (Follow the link that says Household Recycling Service Review Survey just above the subheading ‘Description’). If you value your local recycling centre, it’s important to complete the consultation and show the county council why it’s needed.
The county council is seeking ways to save £149 million over the next five years, with part of that saving coming from the recycling centres. The options the county council is considering include any or all of
- complete closure of up to three recycling centres
- transfer of up to three recycling centres to an external operator
- closure of each centre for two weekdays each week
- reduction of opening hours at all centres
- charging for some items or
- issuing a limited number of permits for larger vehicles and trailers.
There are nine recycling centres in the county, at Alconbury, Bluntisham, March, Milton, St Neots, Thriplow, Whittlesey, Wisbech and Witchford. Of these, Witchford receives the fourth largest quantity of waste, at 7,941 tonnes in 2013/14 – beaten only by Milton, St Neots and Bluntisham. A decision will be made by the county council’s Highways and Community Infrastructure Committee in the autumn.
My view is that closing recycling centres, or otherwise making it more difficult for people to use them, will simply result in an increase in fly-tipping. Clearing up fly-tipping is the responsibility of the district council not the county council, so it could be argued that this is just one level of local government pushing its problems onto another. And we know that East Cambridgeshire District Council has a poor record of tackling fly-tipping, with very little funding going to support this part of its work, and an absence of any prosecutions even for the most blatant offences.
The proposal to close a well designed, easy to use, facility that hasn’t been open long is scandalous (and is there a clause in the contract that Amey Cespa would get compensated? If there isn’t on this one, they should in future). There is going to be an increase in housing in the surrounding area and the first thing that happens when you move is a trip to the recycling centre. An increase in fly tipping will be the easily foreseen and direct consequence of this and shows CCC officers have scant regard for the environment. Find out what this department really spends our money on. It’s time to get true costs of CCC office staff. That’s where savings should be made.