South Holland community leaders will formally object to a new booking system which will be introduced at Lincolnshire’s tips – saying it’s ‘unfair’ on working people.
Members of South Holland District Council (SHDC) agreed to send an objection letter to Lincolnshire County Council (LCC) following its decision to introduce a booking system at the county’s 11 Household Waste Recycling Centre, writes Local Democracy Reporter Oliver Castle.
The county council has said the new booking system would help to reduce queues and intimidation of staff – which had previously been an issue because of customer frustration linked to delays and waiting times.
At a full council meeting on Wednesday, July 15, Coun Paul Barnes (Independent – Fleet) said: “This is unfair to people who work. I’ve been there when I’ve been trying to work – and then you try and book an appointment to get to the tip is horrendous.”
Coun Barnes also disagreed with the county council’s view that the booking system will help to reduce long queues which are building up at many of Lincolnshire’s tips.
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.”
Coun Gary Taylor also said that the booking system would make life more “complicated” and “stressful” for working people.
He added: “We do have busy, complicated lives. And it does work for some people – we know that.
“Some people are particularly organised, they’ve got time. It does work for some, but not for all.”
Coun Andrew Woolf also suggested that the new booking system could increase flytipping if people are unable to book a slot.
Portfolio holder for corporate and environmental waste, Jim Astill (Conservative – Crowland and Deeping St Nicholas) said there was no evidence to prove that the booking system would increase flytipping.
He added: “I think most people who fly tip are probably cowboy builders who do a job and then dump it in a dike.
“I don’t think there are people who flytip that take their waste to the tip. I think they’re more likely to take their waste home.”
LCC has also confirmed that the Department for Food and Rural Affairs (DEFRA) has said that there is no evidence to suggest that the booking system will lead to an increase in flytipping.
SHDC leader Nick Worth also suggested that the Spalding tip should have longer opening hours.
He said: “While I appreciate there is a significant cost of opening this up over six or seven days a week, it does come down to priorities.
“For most people living in the South Holland area, it’s one of the few things that they say they’re getting their council tax in for. It makes a big difference to them.”
In their objection letter, council officials will argue that the opening times for the Spalding Household Waste Recycling Centre are too restrictive – opening only on Sunday, Monday, Tuesday, Friday, and Saturday from 08:00 to 16:00 – and are calling for these opening hours to be extended.
They will call on the authority to reconsider its decision to introduce a booking system, specifically at the Spalding tip.
As Lincolnshire County Council’s Executive passed its booking system proposal on Tuesday, Coun Natalie Oliver blamed district councils for more fly-tipping saying they didn’t prosecute enough.
