Fears for skip site’s final death knell

HOPES of Monifieth using a near-£1 million windfall to save local recycling provision from the axe look to have been dashed.

Residents fear this week will signal the final death knell for the burgh’s skip site as an Angus Council member/officer group report is due to be published on a rethink of provision instigated by the authority’s new administration.

It has emerged the council recently received more than £900,000 from housebuilder Taylor Wimpey for a slice of ground needed to access its development of hundreds of homes at Victoria Street.

The council says closing the Monifieth centre will save £100,000 a year.

Local SNP councillor Sheila Hands said the six-figure sum could “future-proof” recycling provision.

“This one-off capital receipt of £942,000 for the land has only very recently been received by the council,” said Ms Hands.

“If that’s money that has come into Monifieth, I don’t think it is unreasonable for the people of Monifieth to expect it to be invested in the community and this could be used to future-proof local recycling provision.”

Strategic director Alan McKeown said such receipts are put into the council’s general fund, and officials have also dismissed a suggestion of charging skip site users to generate revenue to keep facilities open.