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28
Aug
Council plans to restrict use of recycling centres in bid to save £405,000
North Yorkshire Council is set to introduce new restrictions on household waste recycling centres in a bid to save £405,000.
The authority currently operates 20 facilities across the county, including two in Harrogate and one each in Ripon and Pateley Bridge, which handled 64,500 tonnes of waste last year.
It has proposed making residents register to use the service and limiting the amount of times commercial vehicles can use the centres to 12 a year.
A report due before a transport and environment scrutiny committee next week said a survey between 2015 and 2022 showed that on average one in six people using the centres were not from North Yorkshire.
It said introducing registration would prevent this and bring the county into line with neighbouring authorities.
The report said this was not expected to lead to an increase in fly-tipping:
A review of household waste recycling centres services shows that North Yorkshire Council is in the minority by not limiting the use of its household waste recycling centres to its residents free of charge, and by allowing owners of commercial-like vehicles unlimited access.
Perceived impacts on fly-tipping are not supported by the experience of councils or independent research.
The proposals for residents to register and to limit owners of commercial-like vehicles to 12 visits a year without charge strikes a balance between ease of use for residents (no paper or electronic permits required) and ensuring that services are provided without cost to only those eligible.
How it would work
The move would see residents provide their their name, address, and vehicle registration number to the council prior to using a household waste recycling centre. This would allow the authority to check whether the car is registered in North Yorkshire upon arrival.
Visits for residents would remain free of charge.
Currently, commercial-like vehicles are required to register with the council but have no restrictions on visits.
Those who use the centres more than 12 times a year would be required to pay a commercial charge or would be directed to the nearest disposal facility, the report said.
The council estimates the move would save £305,000 through a reduction in tonnage and disposal costs by preventing people from outside North Yorkshire using the service, and a further £105,000 by imposing limits on commercial-like vehicles.
Councillors will discuss the proposals at a transport, economy, environment and enterprise scrutiny meeting on Thursday, September 4.
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