CONTROVERSIAL plans to close the Stockton Heath Community Recycling Centre have been halted pending further investigative work to find an alternative site in the south of the town.
In a report to Warrington Borough Council’s Executive Board tonight (Monday), council officers were recommending that the Recycling Centre on Sandy Lane be closed, but have now been instructed “to allocate a suitable site for the provision of a CRC site within the South of the Borough as part of the Local Plan Process.”
Warrington South MP Faisal Rashid, who called on the council to find an alternative site before any closure, has welcomed the news.
MP Faisal Rashid
While welcoming the Council’s commitment to providing a new, fit for purpose alternative site in the south of Warrington, Faisal expressed concerns about the proposal to close the recycling centre upon completion of the improvement works at Woolston and Gatewarth, which would see residents in Stockton Heath, Appleton, Grappenhall, Thelwall, Walton, Stretton, Hatton and Lymm without access to a recycling centre in the local area.
During the past week he has been holding discussions with council chiefs to call for the Stockton Heath facility to be kept open until the alternative site in the south of the town is delivered.
Following these discussions, the recommendation to close the Stockton Heath site has been changed to “Request officers re visit the current operating model for the facility at Stockton Heath in partnership with the existing contractor, with a view to reducing the operational cost of the facility and report back with the outcome of their discussions to the May Executive Board at the latest.”
Commenting on the news Faisal said: “Over the past week I have been in talks with Councillor Russ Bowden, Professor Steven Broomhead and senior officers from Warrington Borough Council over the future of the Stockton Heath Community Recycling Centre. I had raised concerns with them regarding proposals that would see the recycling centre closed upon completion of improvement works at Woolston and Gatewarth.
“I am delighted to hear that following my work on this issue, the Council’s Executive Board has now halted plans to close the Stockton Heath site and agreed to look again at ways to keep the site open until an alternative facility is delivered.
“Throughout our discussions, I made it clear that whilst I welcome the Council’s commitment to deliver a new recycling centre in the south of the town, there should be no gap in provision for residents in Stockton Heath, Appleton, Grappenhall, Thelwall, Walton, Stretton, Hatton and Lymm. The Stockton Heath site is well-used and therefore I believe it must remain in operation for as long as possible to ensure that communities in the south of the town do not experience any disruption to their recycling services.
“The Stockton Heath Community Recycling Centre will now remain open while usage of the site is monitored and re-evaluated. I hope that the findings from the investigative work will ensure that the Stockton Heath facility is kept open until a new site in the south of Warrington is delivered. I will continue to work closely with the Council on this important local issue.”
A consultation by the borough council over the future of the facility saw more than 1,000 people oppose the closure, with another 3,000 signing a petition.
Council should listen to the people over recycling centre closure
