Town recycling centre is to reopen next week
ASHBOURNE’S waste and recycling centre will reopen next week, the county council has announced.
The Mayfield Road facility has been closed since the start of the lockdown but Derbyshire County Council’s deputy leader Simon Spencer announced on Monday evening it will be reopened on Monday, May 18.
Councillor Spencer, who represents Ashbourne’s Dovedale Ward, recorded the announcement from his garden and posted it on Derbyshire Conservatives’ Facebook page on Monday.
He said full details of the restrictions that will be in place would be announced in a forthcoming press release, but this had not been sent out before the News Telegraph went to press yesterday.
In his recorded announcement Councillor Spencer said: “I would just like to say thank you to the Derbyshire public for their patience and understanding under the difficult circumstances we’ve all faced.
“And please follow the rules and guidance we’re going to be putting in place in our press releases tomorrow. “Thank you very much.” Yesterday the Country Land and Business Association (CLA) said it welcomed the reopening of waste recycling centres in the Midlands, because their closures had led to a rise in instances of fly-tipping.
The CLA’S Midlands regional director Mark Riches said: “As businesses such as DIY stores and garden centres begin to reopen, more household and garden waste will be added to the piles already waiting for disposal in homes and gardens around the country.
“The vast majority of people are responsible, law-abiding citizens, but a worrying minority show no regard for the environment and local communities by fly-tipping.
“Hopefully, the gradual reopening of recycling centres will ease the problem, but in the meantime we must all continue to report incidents and demand penalties that act as a true deterrent.”
The Derbyshire County Council press release, which is expected to include opening hours and details of restrictions visitors to the recycling centre will need to adhere to, will be on the News Telegraph website at ashbournenewstelegraph.co.uk