The Voice of Spalding and South Holland
There’s a ‘big drive’ by councillors to get rid of the current system where you have to book to take waste to Spalding tip, it’s been claimed.
The measure brought in by Lincolnshire County Council when its Waste Recycling Centres reopened after the first lockdown has proved controversial.
It’s been argued that restrictions at the waste centres have been at least part of the reason behind an increase in fly-tipping, something the authority has previously said it does not believe is the case.
Supporters of the booking system have said it cuts down on queues outside the centre, something that’s previously particularly been an issue highlighted at Spalding’s West Marsh Road tip.
Coun Tracey Carter says she’d received more complaints about the current service and last week told a meeting of Holbeach Parish Council that the feeling among the county council’s controlling Conservative group was that the booking system should end.
Responding to a question from parish councillor Peter Sparkes, she said: “As a group I think there’s a big feel for actually getting rid of the booking system entirely because, although it has worked for some people, it’s been a big, contentious issue.
“There’s quite a big drive to remove that system. It’s currently being looked at.
“Some elements will remain. A small amount of bureaucracy, I’m sure, will stay, but there’s a strong drive for that to be removed which will drastically help people to get in there and drop off their stuff.
“It’s certainly another thing I’m pushing to happen.”
Speaking after the meeting, she said: “I have had quite a number of comments from residents who were very unhappy with the booking system and having shared my views at the county council, I personally very much support and would like to see the removal of the booking system and hope that the necessary actions are taken as soon as possible to enable it to be removed.
“I feel the easier it is to access the centre, the more likely it is for people to use it and dispose of waste appropriately.
“I appreciate the booking process was necessary during COVID-19 but I now feel it is time to return it to how it was, to make it as easy as possible for residents to use, with the necessary measures in place to ensure it is not utilised at a cost to tax payers by businesses who charge residents to remove their waste.”
At a meeting of Lincolnshire County Council’s Executive earlier this month it was revealed the authority had received 282 complaints about the service in the last year compared to five in the previous 12 months.
It also heard that there had been a decrease of 28,000 tonnes in waste taken to the tips during that period.
The county council’s assistant director for communities Nicole Hilton said that as the increase in fly-tipping waste was 881 tonnes it is “quite hard to correlate that those two are intrinsically linked.”
“We have surplus appointments available. We’ve rarely been at capacity,” she added.
