Council to object to waste centre booking system

Community leaders say they will formally object to a new booking system set to be introduced at Lincolnshire's tips.

Members of South Holland District Council (SHDC) agreed to send an objection letter to Lincolnshire County Council following its decision to introduce the new system at the county's 11 household waste recycling centres.

The county council said the system would help to reduce queues and intimidation of staff, which had previously been an issue because of customer frustration linked to waiting times.

At a full SHDC meeting on Wednesday, councillor Paul Barnes said: "This is unfair to people who work."

He added: "I use Spalding tip regularly and, to be honest, I can't remember seeing a queue there for the last couple of years – apart from a Friday morning – and I'm not surprised because it's closed for two days before that so people are trying to get rid of their rubbish."

Councillor Andrew Woolf also suggested that the new booking system could increase fly-tipping if people were unable to book a slot.

However Jim Astill, portfolio holder for corporate and environmental waste, said there was no evidence to prove that the booking system would increase fly-tipping.

He added: "I don't think people who fly-tip take their waste to the tip. I think they're more likely to take their waste home."

The county council also confirmed the Department for Food and Rural Affairs had said there was no evidence to suggest the booking system would lead to an increase in fly-tipping.

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, in their objection letter SHDC officials will argue that the opening times for the Spalding Household Waste Recycling Centre, from 08:00 to 16:00 five days a week, are too restrictive and officials will call for these hours to be extended.

They will also call on the authority to reconsider its decision to introduce a booking system at the Spalding site.

Councillor Danny Brookes, the county council's portfolio holder for the environment, previously said the service in its current form was "creaking under the pressure that it's now facing" and the authority "did not have a choice".

A public consultation, which had more than 2,000 responses, found queuing and traffic management issues at the county's tips were the most common complaints.

Listen to highlights fromLincolnshire on BBC Sounds, watch thelatest episode of Look North.

Download the BBC News app from the App Storefor iPhone and iPad orGoogle Play for Android devices