South Hams has accused Plymouth of sending threatening letters to residents from outside the city who had used its Chelson Meadow civic amenity site, denying that it had been informed about the plans.
But Plymouth says it informed South Hams of the proposed action via a letter sent in May 2002. In a statement, Plymouth said: “A reply from South Hams said the matter should be referred to Devon County Council as “the matter of Civic Amenity sites is not part of our responsibility.”
Devon County Council responded to these claims today, stating: “We are disappointed in the action that Plymouth County City is taking,” but refused to comment any further.
Action
Staff at the site recorded the names and car registrations of people from outside the city, and these people then received letters asking them to use sites in their own area, and telling them they would be charged the commercial rate for disposal if they tried to use the site again.
In a statement, South Hams said: “Neither local residents or South Hams council officers were consulted about the rule change at Chelson Meadow before it came into effect. The changes were only discovered when people visiting the site were turned away.”
South Hams claims the action is unfair because some Plymouth residents use its civic amenity sites, and it also disposes of Plymouth-registered dumped vehicles, which make up a fifth of the total. It also argues that it is environmentally unfriendly for people living near the Chelson Meadow site to drive a 30-mile round trip to the nearest South Hams site in Ivybridge.
South Hams councillor for Wembury and Brixton John Squire said: “We could see a rise in fly-tipping in the South Hams as a result of Plymouth's unreasonable attitude.”
South Hams chief executive Ruth Bagley called for an immediate reversal of the new rules and an urgent meeting with Plymouth City Council.
But Plymouth said the action needed to stop to prevent Chelson Meadow filling up too soon. The amount of waste going through this and the city's other site at Weston Mill is rising at 11% per year – faster than the national average – and it expected to be full by 2006. Residents coming from Cornwall and businesses also use the site, contributing to a problem which costs Plymouth an estimated 227,500 in landfill taxes and 595,000 in lost income from avoided commercial waste disposal fees.
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