Discussions have taken place ahead of the introduction of a permitting system in West Berkshire – which prevents residents living close to the border in Hampshire using the Veolia-run centres in Newbury or Padworth.
West Berkshire has been forced to review the use of HWRC sites after Hampshire county council had opted not to pay a “voluntary” contribution to West Berkshire of around £200,000 per annum, for its residents using the two sites.
As a result of this move, West Berkshire is implementing the permitting scheme from Monday (26 September) – which will limit the use of the sites only to residents who live within the council’s catchment area.
Commenting on the permitting scheme councillor Dominic Boeck, West Berkshire’s executive member for waste, said: “We are introducing this scheme reluctantly to protect our residents and ensure that council resources are spent only on disposing of local household waste. We no longer receive funding towards the cost of rubbish brought here by residents from other areas and it’s not fair to ask our residents to pick up the additional cost.”
Basingstoke and Deane
Introduction of a permitting regime is a particular issue for Basingstoke and Deane council in Hampshire – with residents living in parishes close to the West Berkshire border among frequent users of the Newbury and Padworth sites, the council says.
The council has issued a warning to its residents not to use the sites after Monday – but claims that an interim solution is being discussed to provide permits for some Basingstoke and Deane residents who may be affected by the move. The local authority is also ‘actively encouraging’ discussions between Hampshire county council and West Berkshire to reach a solution.
Basingstoke and Deane borough council’s cabinet member for Regulatory Services and the Environment, Cllr Hayley Eachus, said: “This seems to be good news. However, I must advise all Basingstoke and Deane residents not to try to use the recycling centres in West Berkshire from next Monday.
“We are introducing this scheme reluctantly to protect our residents and ensure that council resources are spent only on disposing of local household waste. We no longer receive funding towards the cost of rubbish brought here by residents from other areas and it’s not fair to ask our residents to pick up the additional cost.”
Cllr Dominic Boeck
West Berkshire council
“I am pleased that, through working together, Hampshire county council and West Berkshire may have agreed a potential solution for those most affected by the changes. The borough council is standing by to put any agreement into action and help with temporary arrangements.”
Funding
In a statement Hampshire council said it would ‘fully fund’ the implementation of a transitional scheme to allow a number of Basingstoke and Deane residents to continue to use the sites – but has stressed that it is keen not to place an ‘unreasonable burden’ on its own budget.
Hampshire county council’s executive member for environment and transport, Cllr Rob Humby, said: “I very much appreciate all the hard work going on between the three authorities to find a transitional arrangement for these residents while a long term solution is explored. We are working on a number of options and I’m particularly grateful to our colleagues at Basingstoke and Deane who have offered to administer the scheme.”
The dispute with Hampshire comes at a time when West Berkshire is facing a similar crackdown on the use of HWRC sites by its own residents at sites run by the re3 group of councils which is made up of Bracknell Forest, Wokingham and Reading.
An agreement had existed between re3 and West Berkshire that saw West Berkshire pay an annual fee to re3 for residents, mainly in the east of the authority area, to use HWRCs within the re3 boundary.
But, after West Berkshire opted to end the annual payment due to budget pressures, re3 has issued permits for residents in the partnership area for use of its HWRCs – preventing use of the sites from residents living outside of the re3 catchment (see letsrecycle.com story).
Last month, West Berkshire’s portfolio holder for communities councillor Marcus Franks had written to Environment Secretary Andrea Leadsom to voice concerns over the issue – which he claimed is likely to be happening around the country (see letsrecycle.com story). However, despite the appeal, Ms Leadsom has yet to publicly act on the issue.
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