Cheshire East's consultation on the future of the borough's recycling centres does include an "option" for procuring a new replacement site in Congleton a cabinet member has "assured".

Last month, Cheshire East Council cabinet members voted to launch a consultation into the proposals, which sets out a variety of scenarios for the future of the centres.

The consultation looks closely at all the recycling centres in the borough, which are located in Macclesfield, Middlewich, Congleton, Poynton, Alsager, Bollington, Crewe, and Knutsford.

Four scenarios are proposed, and in every scenario, Congleton [Barn Road site] and Poynton would lose their sites entirely, while Middlewich's centre only survives in one scenario of four.

Speaking at Cheshire East's Cabinet meeting on Tuesday, Congleton Town councillor Robert Douglas expressed his "dismay" that none of the four scenarios planned to retain Congleton's current recycling site.

Cllr Douglas said: "Last month Cabinet put forward proposals in respect of the future of our recycling sites. I was dismayed that none of those proposals plan to retain a recycling site at Congleton, even though it is our [Cheshire East] fourth biggest town.

"Arclid is five miles from Congleton and its closure resulted in a 4% loss

of its tonnage. Distance between Congleton and Macclesfield is significantly more than five miles, so if there is no site in Congleton, its

tonnage losses will be significantly more than 4%.

"As a consequence, we will suffer increased fly-tipping and more items

instead of being recycled at recycling sites being dumped in residents'

general household waste bins."

The Liberal Democrat councillor felt the plan to close Congleton's site would mean that the throughput tonnage at Macclesfield would "more than double" resulting in "more queuing, more engine idling – all of which will adversely impact our air quality".

Cllr Douglas continued: "The longer journeys to recycling sites will also worsen our air quality and also discriminate against the less able.

"It also seems that the implications of an ever-growing population have

not even been considered in these flawed proposals.

"In February of this year, the full Council approved the spending of a £4

million new purpose-built recycling site for Congleton. Such a site would

be able to offer significantly improved recycling capabilities for the

benefit of our environment, exactly what I argued for at last month's

Cabinet meeting.

"Therefore, as this Council has committed to make the environment its

top priority and has set its goal at being carbon neutral by 2025, can you please ensure that the budgeted new purpose-built recycling site at

Congleton IS included in all your proposals concerning the long-term

future of recycling in Cheshire East."

Cllr Laura Crane, cabinet member for highways and waste, reminded residents that the consultation was being undertaken to "hear public opinion" and to help "guide the way" to the procurement of a new operational contract in 2023.

Cllr Crane "assured" Cllr Douglas that the consultation did include an "option" for procuring a new replacement site in Congleton.

Cllr Crane added: "The overall aim for us [Cheshire East] is to operate a recycling and waste service that is best for the environment in line with our waste strategy."

The recommendation report outlining the four scenarios says that under scenarios three and four, 96 per cent of residents will remain less than a 20-minute drive from a recycling centre.

The current figure is 98 per cent, with scenarios one and two — which are estimated to obtain the biggest savings — seeing 88 and 93 per cent of residents staying within 20 minutes of the sites respectively.

Depending the selected path chosen by councillors, CEC could save anything between £406,000 and £143,000 in the first year after closure.

These figures are on top of potential savings for CEC by not having to carry out upgrade works for the closed sites, the report claims.

The Council says that the current contract providing the centres ends in 2023, meaning 'preparation for the procurement of a new contract is starting to take place'.

It added: "Cheshire East Council's approach to waste management is determined by its recently reviewed Municipal Waste Management Strategy.

"The key aims of the strategy are to continue to encourage residents to reduce the amount of waste they produce, reuse any items, recycle and compost all they can and as a last resort, to place waste that cannot be managed any other way in the black bin.

"The council is striving to run a service that delivers the best for the environment."

The consultation will run until 5pm on Monday, January 4.

To have your say, complete the consultation online here.

A petition that was lodged by Congleton Town councillor Paul Duffy, calling on Cheshire East to reverse their proposal has nearly 600 signatures.

You can sign the petition here.