Councillors vote to support seven day opening at Waterdale recycling centre
The leader of Three Rivers District Council has called for any future proposals to reduce the opening hours of the Waterdale recycling centre to be rejected.
Cllr Stephen Giles-Medhurst made the call after district councillors unanimously backed a motion at the council’s key Policy and Resources Committee this week which called for Hertfordshire County Council to keep the St Albans Road site near Garston open seven days a week.
Cllr Giles-Medhurst said: “I am deeply concerned that the county council could even consider the possibility of reducing the days this site operates, given that fly-tipping is already a challenge. This proposal was buried in one sentence in a 387-page budget report.
“This is not the first time such an idea has been floated; the county council closed the site for two days a week in the teeth of local opposition back in 2014. In May 2021, it went back to seven day opening owing to what the county council said was increased demand and to lower waiting times to get onto the site from the busy A405. I cannot see how that has now changed.
“We at Three Rivers are also concerned that a new online booking system would make it even more difficult to use the centre, adding another obstacle for people disposing of waste and creating another fly-tipping threat.”
In the unanimously agreed motion, district councillors voted to:
- Request a full impact assessment from Hertfordshire County Council, outlining the potential consequences of reduced opening hours on fly-tipping, recycling rates, and public access.
- Encourage Hertfordshire County Council to explore alternative measures to improve the efficiency of waste disposal services without reducing accessibility.
However, the district council fully supports the continued capital investment in the Waterdale Transfer Station and Household Waste site.
In its budget report under Revenue Saving Proposals, the county council states: “Recycle centre operational efficiencies will be subject to consultation. The possible options outlined to meet the target are set out as a move to five-day operation from the current seven day, at four recycling centres, together with the implementation of a booking system, there could be alternative options, which will form the public consultation.”
Copyright © Three Rivers District Council 2024 | Headless Content Management with Blaze