WRG had been the preferred bidder for the new waste collection and disposal contract, which was due to start in October 2003. It would have put Oswestry at the forefront of recycling in Shropshire, with extension of a kerbside recycling scheme, a new waste transfer station and a revamped household waste recycling centre.
But difficulties getting planning permission for the recycling site led to the plans being abandoned.
Problem
Chief executive of the Shropshire Waste Partnership Frank Mulgrew said: “There was a planning problem. The site chosen for a facility was fairly close to a major employer producing cheese and there was an objection and threat of a judicial review so the county took legal advice so decided it was best not to pursue that.”
Mr Mulgrew said the decision not to pursue the plans was made jointly by WRG and the councils. “We all decided if there were issues, we would not pursue it and create problems in Oswestry because we have got bigger issues ahead,” he added.
WRG's current presence in Shropshire is limited to running Oswestry's existing recycling centre. The borough's residual waste is currently sent to a landfill in neighbouring county Wrexham.
Pilot
The Oswestry contract, which was to last five and a half years, had been intended as a pilot for ideas to be used in the partnership's integrated contract for the whole county. This long-term is contract, to include North Shropshire, South Shropshire, Bridgnorth and Oswestry, will start in 2009.
Until then, Oswestry's in-house collection team will continue with collections. The borough council is currently negotiating short-term recyclables contracts and the country council is talking to a number of local waste contractors about arrangements for residual waste disposal.
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