Recycling centres could operate reduced hours to save cash
Proposals to save more than £1.2 million next year from the way the County Council manages waste and recycling have been put forward for consultation this week.
The potential savings are part of a wider plan to reduce the council’s budget by over £100m over the next three years to meet the latest Government spending targets.
In addition to renegotiating and re-tendering existing waste management contracts , a series of measures are being proposed for 2014/15. These include:
A reduction in the opening hours at Household Waste Recycling Centres by one hour in the morning and one hour in the evening during the summer.
In the winter, the proposal would see the sites open one hour later in the morning. Weekend hours would remain unaffected and the majority of sites would still open 7 days a week
The Centres at South Molton and Holsworthy to open on Saturdays and Sundays only. 10am-6pm during April-September and 10am-4.30pm during October to March
The closure of the temporary household waste site at Lynton which operates on four days of the year.
Approaching Torbay Council for a contribution towards the running costs for residents from Torbay using Brunel Road Recycling Centre at Newton Abbot.
Traditionally, charities who register with the council have been allowed to dispose of household waste free of charge. This is not a statutory responsibility and the Council proposes to apply a threshold of 10 tonnes per year, above which the charities would have to pay for disposal.
In addition, changes to regulations* means that whereas in the past, waste from some private institutions and businesses was paid for the by the tax payer, this will allow the Council to levy a charge. This includes educational establishments (some exemptions apply) hospitals, prisons, club societies, self catering accommodation and campsites as well as non household waste from the aforementioned charities.
Cabinet Member for Community and Environmental Services, Roger Croad said: “Making decisions about possible reductions to services are never easy but we have looked very closely at how we can use our resources most effectively whilst also saving money. The recycling centres tend to be relatively quiet during the times proposed for reduced hours and the 17 sites would still operate 7 days a week.
“With regards to the sites at Holsworthy and South Molton, both these sites are more costly to operate, and are relatively quiet with low quantities of waste being managed at the sites. It’s considered that a weekend only service would be able to cope with the current quantities of waste received at the sites.
“Over the last few years, changes within the way we manage our waste in Devon have meant we’ve made around £3.5 million worth of savings over the last two years. However, further work is still needed.”
“Whilst we still continue to accept waste from charities, we feel that a 10 tonne limit is a fair compromise and it may prompt them to re-think how they manage their waste and look at other ways to reduce or recycle it.
“I would encourage people to come forward with their opinions on this important issue and get involved with the consultation.”
No final decision on these proposals or how best to achieve any 2014/15 budget saving will be made until February. In the meantime, comments on the proposals and how they might impact on people can be made at www.devon.gov.uk/wastebudget or in writing to Waste Management, Devon County Council, County Hall, Exeter EX2 4QD
Proposed opening hours changes at seven days a week sites:
Summer weekdays (April-September) 8am-6pm to 9am-5pm
Winter weekdays (October-March) 8am- 4.30pm to 9am-4.30pm
Details of ALL the county council’s current budget proposals and service reviews can be found at www.devon.gov.uk/toughchoices
*the controlled waste regulations (CWR) 2012 enable the council to charge certain types of premises which currently benefit from from free waste disposal. It is proposed that the council seeks to levy a charge where CWR 2012 allows and that these charges should be implemented from 1 April 2014.
