After several weeks of discussions with Calderdale Council and its Chief Executive, Craig Whittaker MP says it is “incredibly disappointing” that the council have failed to re-open the Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRC) at Elland and Sowerby Bridge.
Petitions organised across parties have received over 4500 signatures calling for the HWRCs to be re-opened. Despite this, Calderdale Council have made no plans to begin this process and refuse to confirm or deny whether the Council would be closing the two sites permanently.
The decision taken by the Labour Cabinet to keep the two sites closed even after HWRCs were permitted to re-open by government on 11th May has led to a significant increase in fly tipping here in Calderdale. Calderdale Council’s Assistant Director for Public Services has stated clearly that the rise in fly tipping can be directly correlated to the closing of the HWRCs. However, despite the danger fly tipping presents to the environment, public health and the £58 million it costs for councils to clear up each year, the Council insist on keeping Elland and Sowerby Bridge HWRCs closed.
The decision has not just been a burden on the areas of Elland and Sowerby Bridge, however. Areas such as Brighouse are facing major congestion issues as a result of people having nowhere else to travel and dispose of their waste.
Craig Whittaker MP said,
It is incredibly disappointing that Calderdale Council have still not committed to re-open the Elland & Sowerby Bridge HWRCs. I have spoken with the Council’s Chief Executive numerous times about this issue over the last few months. Residents are fed up of having to travel further afield to dispose of their household waste and are tired of queueing for long periods to do so.
Congestion continues to rise across Brighouse and other areas of Calder Valley and fly tipping has increased and remains at a high level when compared with the start of lockdown in March. My concern is that the Council have not even set a date for reopening the two tips that remain closed, and therefore seem to have no plans or ambitions to reopen them.
They have left me, other local leaders, and the wider community no choice but to petition the local Labour Cabinet to show the strength of feeling in the community and to put more pressure on them to reopen the Elland and Sowerby Bridge HWRCs.
It is our hope that the Labour Council will take the time to look at the impact their decision is having on the local community and now make the right call.
Petitions submitted by Craig and Calder Valley residents will be heard at Place Scrutiny next week on Wednesday 19th August.