‘Error’ stops tip from being shut
ATIP under the threat of a closure that is predicted to have implications for Macclesfield looks to have been given a stay of execution due to an ‘administrative error’.
Cheshire East’s cabinet was due to ‘agree that the Congleton household waste recycling centre (HWRC) will not be replaced’ while a borough-wide review of the centres was undertaken at its meeting on Tuesday (April 13).
However, the ruling Labour-Independent coalition have been forced to push their plans back to the next cabinet meeting.
It has been predicted that should the facility at Congleton close and already busy tip at Macclesfield will be overburdened. And this could lead to fly-tipping in both areas.
Councillor Laura Crane, cabinet member for waste, said: “Unfortunately, it did come to light quite late on in the proceedings that there was an administrative error in the cabinet papers.
“I don’t believe that there is anything substantive that would cause us to change our decision – but given the importance of the matter before us today, I would request that we defer to May cabinet to allow us to review and to ensure that we are making the correct decision and have all the information available to us on the day.”
Congleton was set to lose its tip in September, when the lease on the land ends.
Although councillors did not discuss the controversial plans in detail, Congleton residents and representatives still took the opportunity to speak out against the closure.
Town councillor Robert Douglas said: “Some cabinet members sit in front of a placard proudly [displaying] a commitment to reduce carbon. This does not reduce carbon. Why have you failed to make any mention of the overview and scrutiny committee [report]?
“If it is not mentioned it fails your promise on carbon and you fail your residents.”
Previously, the council’s environment overview and scrutiny committee had attempted to make the council undertake a last-ditch attempt to purchase the land. However, an officer’s report into a potential sale of the land found that it would cost £4 million to do so.
“Not replacing the current facility in Congleton would reduce the future running cost of the HWRC service and so partly mitigate the anticipated increased cost of the new contract,” the report said.
“Furthermore, it would avoid the cost associated with repaying the capital investment required to deliver a replacement facility at Congleton which is estimated to be £250,000 per annum.”
Currently, the council is also considering the future of the borough seven other tips, as the contract to run them ends in 2023.