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WBC to close Sandy Lane Tip, Stockton Heath - 1 August !!


Dizzy

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I took it to mean that the council would like 70 percent of waste generated across Warrington to be recycled by 2030, including that which doesn't go to tips. And that 70 percent of waste taken to the tips is currently recycled.   

 

BTW I know the council like to dress these things up but Warrington certainly doesn't have 'an excellent record of recycling'. It has a distinctly average one and is way behind those councils who actually do have excellent recyling rates. http://www.letsrecycle.com/councils/league-tables-1/2012-13-overall-performance

 

This kind of presentational issue is exactly why this cannot be seen as a meaningful consultation and is why Dizzy is right to not just answer the questions they want to be answered. 

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I wonder how many people across Warrington who don't use Stockton Heath Tip realise that the consultation isn't actually about Stockton Heath's tip closure but is for the 'Proposed changes to community recycling centres' as a whole.

 
Mmmmm....... I bet they wont even bother looking thinking it doesn't affect them because of what is in the news etc but going by the questions and what the covering info says it will do one day and they will have missed their chance to have their say..... I can just hear the council a few years down the line when they change it all saying 'well everyone was consulted in 2014' :wink:

http://www.warrington.gov.uk/hwrconsultation

 

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I wonder how many people across Warrington who don't use Stockton Heath Tip realise that the consultation isn't actually about Stockton Heath's tip closure but is for the 'Proposed changes to community recycling centres' as a whole.

 

Mmmmm....... I bet they wont even bother looking thinking it doesn't affect them because of what is in the news etc but going by the questions and what the covering info says it will do one day and they will have missed their chance to have their say..... I can just hear the council a few years down the line when they change it all saying 'well everyone was consulted in 2014' :wink:

 

http://www.warrington.gov.uk/hwrconsultation

 

 

 

The people who live near Sankey Bridges should certainly be concerned

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Yes its vitally important that people across the town complete it.  It is on this website and WBC's and hard copies are available, apparently in all the libraries, leisure centres etc.  However, NO-ONE I have spoken to over the past few days knew about the consultation!  I fear the completion rate will be even less than the 10% one would normally expect.

The fly tipping has already started!  I have reported the grotty state of the recycling bank at The Forge car park where, in addiction to broken glass and general rubbish someone has dumped three full bin bags!

The Council's briefing for ward councillors and nominated parish councillors is tomorrow, so if anyone has any specific questions let me know and I will try to get them answered for you.

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I think the problem is Ann that the vast majority of people don't actually read on-line news every day (Gary will hate me for saying that) and those that do look every so often miss stories that have then gone further down the list so to speak.  Same with the Warrington Guardian and although they have a paper copy every Thursday I know many people who simply don't bother buying it anymore because of the price and the fact that it's mainly full of adverts so again if people don't read that they wouldn't know either.

I'd imagine very few people at all actually check the councils website regularly to see what may be going on locally unless there is something specific that they already know about and want to keep tabs on. 

Same with the libraries too as most have self serve machines now where you can book your books in an out while visiting without actually go to a manned counter so library wise it also depends on where the consultation forms are as to whether people actually see them and have the time to fill them in.  I saw one a year or so ago in the main Warrington library at the manned station but it was just a small pile of papers and there was nothing really to alert people that they were there or why they were there.  I only noticed them because the lady had gone to check that I hadn't left my library ticket there the time before. 

I don't know what the solution is to get proper feedback during consultations other than to send letters to all residents or to do leaflet drops through everyones doors alerting them to the latest ones but obviously that in itself
would be very costly and time consuming so would be a no go.

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I was chatting to some people this morning and they mentioned the tip closing and how annoyed about it they were.  They had read/heard that there was 'going' to be a consultation but didn't know when it would be. 

I told them it had already started but they asked if I was sure because they hadn't had any consultation forms to full in yet.  Daft buggers thought they were being posted out to everyone who lived in Stockton Heath. :roll:  

They don't use the internet so they said they will go to the library and will also let their neighbours know as they were waiting for forms through the post too.......... oh dear :lol:

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I couldn't agree more Dizzy.  A 4 week period, especially over the summer is woefully inadequate - but its all we have.  The consultation on children's centres is 3 times that and the consultation papers are more widely available.  The recycling consultation papers should really have been made available at each tip, but I don't think they have been.

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So just as we had people willing to collect signatures for the petition, we now need people to give out consultation forms or details of the online form at the tip. (You can bet that the staff have been ordered to have nothing to do with the survey!)

 

I've got the odd day off coming up next week, who else is available and who can get hold of a bigger pile of forms than the library are likely to have on hand?

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Been away for a few days and didn't realise I don't remain logged in if I'm away from home!  Who can remember passwords!  At the meeting with ward and parish councillors Davide Boyer said the council is encouraging as many people as possible to complete the consultation online (this was in response to my question about making the consultation papers available at each tip)  So they are actively discouraging people filling out hard copy questionnaires.  A few hard copies were available at the meeting but only a small box, so I only have two hard copies.  David Keane's view remains that Sandy Lane (and later Woolston) should close and the town should have just one super duper recycling centre.  When, however, I lamented the lot of the poor residents who live along Liverpool Road and Saxon Park he said the new facility might not be at Gatewarth.  I'm convinced Sandy Lane will close, so we all need to work towards the best possible alternative.  Obviously the council is preferring mini recycling sites with the big bins.  We made the point loud and clear that green waste facilities are imperative.

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A lot of people prefer to fill in paper copies of things so they can take more time over their responses or keep copies themselves and some people don't ever fill things in on line as either their paranoia sets in or they don't use the internet.
I guess doing it electronically makes it a bit easier than having to decipher everyones handwriting though.

From what you say it seems that yes Stockton Heath will close whatever people say then, and Woolston by the sounds of it, so it's really all a bit of a wasted exercise with regards to Stockton Heath but I suppose people can at least say what they would 'like' to have in future.....  but will they get their wishes ?

As for one super duper centre if it might not be at Gateworth I wonder where else it could be as most free land these has been sold off to developers for housing.  there's always Arpley Landfill site I suppose :wink:

Have they said how much these mini recycling sites and big bins will cost yet ?

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The sensible option would be to reduce the days/opening hours at all three to try to keep them all open.  But then they couldn't sell the Sandy Lane site.  There should also be ways of involving private or community interest organisations to manage recycling without it impacting so much on the council's budget.  Trouble is we don't know what options were originally considered and why closure is the only option.  The full cost (by which I mean providing, maintaining and cleaning facilities PROPERLY) of additional bring sites hasn't been determined, nor, it seems, has the cost of green waste collection and recycling.  Its only my view, given the meetings I've been to, that the council is determined to close Sandy Lane, but its really important that everyone completes the questionnaire and makes comments and suggestions, not just answers the yes/no questions.  The consultation responses may just sway the Exec Board into a rethink.  The council is saying its a choice between decimating the waste management budget or reducing services to vulnerable children and adults etc.  I think its a question of priorities and good management.

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So if the consultation shows the people of south Warrington still want this tip - but it is not financially viable to keep it open - what will happen?

Will the council listen to those who pay their council taxes - or just shut it?

I think I know the answer :cry:

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So if the consultation shows the people of south Warrington still want this tip - but it is not financially viable to keep it open - what will happen?

Will the council listen to those who pay their council taxes - or just shut it?

I think I know the answer :cry:

 

I have a great deal of sympathy for all councils - they have all had to juggle finances for many years now.  It isn't just a South issue though.  Closure of Sandy Lane will inevitably push even more traffic over the bridges and clog up Bridgefoot and Liverpool Road even more.  The council just seems to have taken the easy way out - need to save money, just close something - rather than work with parish councils and the wider community to research other options. 

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I have a great deal of sympathy for all councils - they have all had to juggle finances for many years now.  It isn't just a South issue though.  Closure of Sandy Lane will inevitably push even more traffic over the bridges and clog up Bridgefoot and Liverpool Road even more.  The council just seems to have taken the easy way out - need to save money, just close something - rather than work with parish councils and the wider community to research other options. 

 

Quite. 

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Reported on here on 13 August........the council are now trialling a NEW garden waste recycling scheme at two locations in Warrington South specifically for garden waste in areas where there is high demand.  The two trials are in  Lymm at Davies Way car park and at Stockton Heath in the Forge Shopping Centre car park.

Full news article here.... http://www.warrington-worldwide.co.uk/articles/18961/1/New-garden-waste-recycling-trial/Page1.html

Well today I happened to notice the one's in Stockton Heath and they are a lot smaller than I was expecting.  It's nearing the end of August now and nights are already drawing in so maybe people wont need to use them a lot but I wonder how much these 3 SMALL bins will cost to be emptied/replaced all the time if people do actually use them?  The lids are PADLOCKED SHUT too so how do people empty all their big bags of garden waste into them like they do at Stockton Heath tip ?  


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