Congleton councillors are demanding a full investigation into the cost of building a replacement household waste recycling site in the town.

And one questioned the costs previously quoted following the closure of the site off Barn Road in August.

Speaking at Wednesday's meeting of Cheshire East Council, Congleton Town councillor Robert Douglas said: "This May, cabinet decided not to replace the Congleton recycling site, claiming that a replacement site would cost £4m.

"For months our residents and councillors told this council that this figure of £4m was a substantial overstatement of reality, but we were all ignored."

He said when he had asked how Norfolk Council could build a new site at Norwich South for £1.9m he was informed Cheshire East officers had been in contact with Norfolk Council and learned that this figure did not include the cost of the land or service road.

Cllr Douglas: "Since then I've ascertained the Norwich South site is four and a half times the size of the former Congleton site, has a forecast throughput of 5.4 times of the former Congleton site has 46 car park spaces.

"Whereas the former Congleton site only had space for about six cars, and includes a significant reuse facility, which is 60 feet long by 43 feet wide.

"Clearly that decision in May, which cabinet admitted would increase CO2 emissions by 158.8 tonnes per year, was made on the basis of inadequate information."

Cllr Douglas was speaking before a notice of motion was put forward by Cllr Denis Murphy (Congleton East, Lib Dem) and Cllr June Buckley (Alsager, Lib Dem).

The motion called for the environment and communities committee to carry out a full investigation to ascertain the detailed costs and feasibility of an alternative replacement recycling site for Congleton.

Cllr Murphy said: "This investigation should also fully consider all potential suitable locations for such a permanent replacement recycling site including all those sites identified as being suitable in the report issued by consultants to the previous Cheshire East Council administration in 2018 at a cost of about £50,000."

Dennis Murphy is also the Mayor for our town until June 2022.

Cllr Buckley supported the proposal and added: "We're coming up to the gap between Christmas and New Year when all local tips are massively busy and I believe we should have somebody counting the first day the tips are open in Macclesfield and Alsager to see what the impact of all the extra usage is.

"I know that's not so much to do with the cost of the new one but I think there's going to be a massive impact there."

Cheshire East leader Sam Corcoran disputed the CO2 emissions claim made by the Congleton town councillor.

"Cabinet did not state that their decision would increase CO2 emissions by 158.8 tonnes per year," said Cllr Corcoran.

"Robert Douglas may be referring to a paper which set out the worst case scenario in which the number of trips to a household waste recycling centre remained the same, but I am pleased to report that the worst case scenario has not materialised, and that the number of trips to household waste recycling centres has reduced."

The notice of motion was referred to the relevant committee for discussion at a later date.

But, responding to another question about recycling sites, Cllr Mick Warren, chair of environment and communities, said: "The household waste recycling contract is due to start in April 2023 and, to that end, a waste management board consisting of officers and staff from Ansa has been created to oversee the development of that new contract.

"Part of that process will include consideration of all future provision of health, household waste and recycling provision in the borough."

The former Barn Road waste facility was given the green light to become a Costa in July.

Congleton: Where do you want a replacement tip in our town?

See also: Congleton: Here's when your bins will be collected this Christmas

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