325 per cent flytipping rise in Congleton revealed just days after third anniversary of tip closure

By Belinda Ryan - Local Democracy Reporter

27th Sep 2024 | Local News

Congleton tip was closed on Sunday, 5 September 2021. (Image - Local Democracy Reporting Service)
Congleton tip was closed on Sunday, 5 September 2021. (Image - Local Democracy Reporting Service)

Congleton has suffered a 325 per cent rise in flytipping since Cheshire East closed its tip three years ago and has not even been offered a mobile service, which is 'scandalous discrimination', a town councillor said.

Cllr Suzy Firkin (Lib Dem) said she, together with fellow town councillors and officers, had met with Cheshire East to discuss what other services could be introduced to mitigate the closure of the Congleton site in 2021.

"As a result of these meetings we were left with nothing," she told Cheshire East's meeting of the environment and communities committee yesterday (Thursday).

"We were told no money was available and heard nothing from you or your team despite many sensible suggestions that were put forward."

Cllr Firkin said while the mobile sites being offered to Bollington, Poynton and Middlewich as their centres close 'may be imperfect', at least they have been offered something.

"Congleton has not. This is absolutely scandalous discrimination against Congleton," she said.

She added: "If the criteria for provision of this service is the closure of the local site and a recorded increase in flytipping, then surely Congleton must be given access to this service."

Town councillor Robert Douglas said Congleton needed a new HWRC.

He questioned the costings Cheshire East had provided for this and gave examples of where other councils had provided new tips for far less.

Cllr Rob Moreton, who represents Congleton on Cheshire East Council, was unable to attend yesterday's meeting but instead wrote in to the committee to express his concerns.

He said: "We are one of the biggest towns in the borough, it's criminal that we don't have one [HWRC]."

He said when the Congleton site closed three years ago after its lease expired, former Cheshire East leader Sam Corcoran had said the council would look at getting pop-up centres in Congleton.

Cllr Moreton said these are now being trialled in other towns and 'why has Congleton been overlooked yet again?'

Cheshire East Council voted by eight to five yesterday in favour of closing the tips at Middlewich, Bollington and Poynton, leaving just Crewe, Macclesfield, Knutsford and Alsager open.

Cheshire East Council says it has to make cuts as the cost of its adult and children's social care spirals.

The council is facing a £20m overspend in adult services by the end of this financial year and a £7m overspend in children's services and has to make savings of £100m over the next four years.

     

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