New recycling centre booking system questioned

The introduction of a booking system to take rubbish to council Household Recycling Centres in Powys from April 1,  is being questioned by a senior opposition councillor.

Last month Powys County Council revealed that they had signed a seven year deal with Northern Ireland firm, Bryson Recycling to run four of the five recycling centres  in the county from April.

Potters Group will continue to run the site in Welshpool.

Charges for dumping DIY and building waste at the centres will also be implemented although no details of how much this will cost have been made public yet.

Powys Independents joint-group leader, Cllr Beverley Baynham has directed questions on the issue to cabinet member for highways transport and recycling, Liberal Democrat, Cllr Jackie Charlton under the council’s questions at anytime protocol.

Cllr Baynham who represents Presteigne said: “As a resident who has to make a 44-mile round trip to the nearest centre in Llandrindod I often drop in when I am in the area, as I do not wish to make a planned journey, wasting fuel and creating emissions.

“To be able to just drop in has always worked extremely well.

“A booking system was recently introduced in a neighbouring county, and it has proved very unpopular with residents and is causing problems.”

She asks for reasons why the booking system needs to be introduced and for assurances that the new system will be reviewed after six months.

This review should include reports of fly tipping to see whether they have gone up or down during that time frame.

Statements made by the council on the looming changes say that this proposal was actually agreed in February last year as part of the budget setting process for 2024/2025.

Documents from last year show that the council had expected to make £400,000 by “introducing charges for DIY waste disposal” following a review of the recycling centre contracts.

This would have been done with the introduction of “profit share agreements.”

The council estimated they would have made £100,000 this year, and £300,000 next year, but documents show there was an expectation that the changes would come into force in July 2024 rather than this April.

In comments made last month Cllr Charlton said: “We are excited to be working with such an experienced social enterprise recycler such as Bryson Recycling.”

“We are also pleased to continue our relationship with Potter Group and look forward to taking all five of the county’s Household Recycling Centres to the next level.”

The council has been asked when will Cllr Baynham receive a reply to her questions.

A council spokesman said: “The question at any time process is governed by the council’s constitution.”

“The principle is that any councillor can ask a question of the cabinet portfolio holder in relation to policy matters or to the relevant head of service in relation to operational matters, at any time, and a formal response is issued and published within 10 working days.”