Shutdown of Calderdale recycling centres could be eased in wake of fly tipping spree

A shutdown of Calderdale Council’s waste recycling centres might be eased soon, following a wave of fly-tipping incidents.
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Members of Calderdale Council’s Cabinet, meeting in virtual form with other councillors also allowed to ask questions and comment, heard that balancing health risk with resuming the service in some form would determine exactly how this was done.

Cabinet member for Public Services and Communities, Coun Susan Press said discussions were under way and advice being sought from Government too.

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Fly tipping in Halifax (picture by Calderdale Council's Community Safety & Resilience Team)Fly tipping in Halifax (picture by Calderdale Council's Community Safety & Resilience Team)
Fly tipping in Halifax (picture by Calderdale Council's Community Safety & Resilience Team)
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Council Deputy Leader Coun Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) also reiterated that fly-tipping was an offence, the council was actively tracking people who had done it, and those identified would face action.

“Let’s be clear – we will find them and we will fine them,” she said.

Coun Paul Bellenger told Cabinet mental health was a key priority during the COVID-19 lockdown and people had been doing things around their house and garden, accumulating waste, and Calderdale had also seen evidence of fly-tipping.

“I have made contact with other authorities – Wigan have re-opened recycling centres, Greater Manchester are doing it,” he said.

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More than 4,400 people had responded in favour of them to be re-opened in a party online survey, said Coun Bellenger (Lib Dem, Greetland and Stainland) .

Coun Press (Lab, Todmorden) said: “We have also been talking to others in West Yorkshire and what we are looking at the moment is phasing in a gradual re-opening of our waste and recycling centres.

“That’s something that will have to be done carefully and strategically so we can help people get rid of the items they have accumulated and not in such a way that would cause additional problems,” she said.

She said it was likely to be staged, starting with garden waste then opening recycling centres on a part-time basis.

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“It is definitely part of the agenda and something we will be addressing,” she said.

Con Bellenger said it was essential the centres were re-opened, possibly one by one, and some could be closed on days others were open.

He agreed it was important it was done in a way without people “piling in to the centres in one go,” he said.

The council’s Chief Executive Robin Tuddenham said it was clearly an important issue for residents but there was an issue because no West Yorkshire and Humberside authorities had yet re-opened their recycling centres and those mentioned had done well but had seen hour-long queues on the first days.

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He reminded councillors Government advice was to stay at home, protect the NHS and save lives and using a waste centre was at the moment not accepted as a reason to leave your home.

A letter from the relevant Government Minister was expected this week to clarify the issue, he said.