The agreement comes following the introduction of a permitting system in West Berkshire – which prevents residents living close to the border in Hampshire using the Veolia-run centres in Newbury or Padworth.
However, following discussions between the two authorities, Hampshire residents living close to the West Berkshire border and more than 10 miles away from a Hampshire HWRC will receive a 12-month permit to allow them to use the Newbury site.
Councillor Rob Humby, executive member for environment and transport at Hampshire county council, said: “I’m pleased we’ve come to an agreement on a transitional arrangement for those residents living furthest away from a Hampshire site, and grateful to our colleagues at West Berkshire for working with us on this.
“Colleagues at Basingstoke and Deane borough council have helped us identify the addresses of people living furthest from a Hampshire HWRC, and we will be sending special Hampshire permits to these households to use from 20 December 2016.”
Permit
A permitting scheme has been in operation in West Berkshire since September – limiting the use of sites only to residents within the council’s own catchment area (see letsrecycle.com story).
This followed a review in spending which saw West Berkshire end a similar reciprocal arrangement which allowed its own residents in the east of the county to use sites operated by the re3 partnership between Bracknell Forest, Reading and Wokingham councils.
West Berkshire opted to end its £460,000 per year contribution due to what it had described as “unprecedented savings requirements” – which had led to a limit on the use of HWRC sites by West Berkshire residents by the re3 councils (see letsrecycle.com story).
Padworth
In order to deal with the change in the flow of material within the county – West Berkshire’s contractor Veolia has submitted an application to alter the planning terms for its HWRC at Padworth, in order to accept non-recyclable waste at the site.
Previously the site had only accepted recyclable waste and residents from the eastern end of the borough seeking to dispose of residual waste could use re3’s nearby Smallmead HWRC to deposit material.
However, since the closure of the border, householders in West Berkshire towns such as Tilehurst, Theale and Burghfield Common are instead faced with having to drive across the county to the Newbury site as the only outlet for residual waste disposal. This has prompted Veolia to seek to change the use of the site to accept a greater range of material.
In a planning application, submitted last month, the company said: “Whilst some of the waste displaced from Smallmead HWRC might be taken to the Newtown Road HWRC in Newbury, it seems likely, given the proximity that the majority would be taken to the Padworth HWRC.”
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