Decision details

The committee considered a report on the proposed changes to the Household Waste Recycling Centre Booking System.  The committee were advised on the need for flexibility in managing the booking system, particularly where congestion and safety issues had arisen. It was noted that  any changes would not reduce the overall capacity of the service to meet demand.

The committee noted that a range of options were being considered on a site-by-site basis, including extending or removing booking requirements at certain times, adjusting queue management arrangements, and trialling alternative approaches, particularly at Macclesfield site.

The committee were updated on the extensive modelling that had informed the original decisions and noted that a further assessment would take place once the full mobile Household Waste Recycling Centre service was operational. It was clarified that the mobile Household Waste Recycling Centre was intended to improve access in rural areas and areas with lower car ownership, and that these would be integrated into the existing booking system.

The committee noted that liaison with highways continued, and that extending booking arrival windows was an option under consideration. It was also confirmed that the booking system could, if necessary, be removed altogether at certain sites as part of the site-by-site assessment of options.

The committee highlighted ongoing fly tipping issues and stressed the importance of ensuring that any changes to the booking system did not inadvertently increase illegal waste disposal. The committee noted that fly tipping was being addressed through partnership working with enforcement teams and external agencies, and that overall incidents had reduced, although localised issues remained.

An amendment was proposed, seconded, and subsequently accepted as a friendly amendment as set out below:

1. Delegate authority to the Director of Planning and Environment to make alterations to the HWRC booking system to account for health and safety and traffic congestion issues at HWRC ‘in consultation with Chair, Vice Chair and Opposition Spokesman of Committee’.

RESOLVED (by majority):

That the Environment and Communities Committee

1. Delegate authority to the Director of Planning and Environment to make alterations to the HWRC booking system to account for health and safety and traffic congestion issues at HWRCs in consultation with Chair, Vice Chair and Opposition Spokesman of Committee.