Fly-tipping fears over Gloucester tip's three-month closure
The Hempsted recycling centre closes on the thirteenth of August for upgrades, and won't reopen until mid-November
There are fears the planned three-month closure of Gloucester’s tip may lead to a surge in fly-tipping across the city.
The household recycling centre in Hempsted is due to close on August 13 for works to improve the site and provide environmental upgrades.
These include installing six new compactors for general rubbish, garden waste and cardboard which will be fully powered with renewable electricity.
But Gloucestershire County Council does not expet the tip will reopen until mid-November, prompting fears this increases the risk of fly-tipping at the entrance to the site and across Gloucester.
Liberal Democrat Councillor Rebecca Trimnell is deeply concerned that the closure will lead to a hike in fly-tipping across the city.
“It seems a very ill-conceived decision to close a recycling centre in the middle of the summer holidays when families are likely to have more time to make trips to the tip,” she said.
The Hempsted and Westgate county councillor, who is also the cabinet member responsible at Gloucester City Council, has asked them to monitor any increases in fly-tipping closely.
“It’s only right any costs to remove fly-tipped rubbish should actually be picked up by the county council,” she added.
“I hope there will be no delay in its reopening and the work that is being undertaken will be worth the wait in spite of the new policy that will see DIY excess charges for some residents”.
Shire Hall’s Lib Dem leader Lisa Spivey (South Cerney) said they understand the temporary closure will be frustrating for residents who use the site regularly. And the council appreciates their patience while these important improvement works are carried out.
“The timing has been carefully planned, with later summer into autumn typically being a quieter period for visits than the busy spring months, helping to minimise disruption as much as possible,” she said.
“This temporary closure is part of a significant investment in improving the facility for residents. While we appreciate the inconvenience, major upgrades of this scale cannot be carried out safely and efficiently while the site remains open.
“We take fly-tipping very seriously and understand why some residents may have concerns. However, there is no evidence that temporary recycling centre closures lead to an increase in fly-tipping, and we will continue to work with our partners to tackle it wherever it occurs.
“While Hempsted is closed, residents will still be able to use alternative household recycling centres, with both Wingmoor Farm and Pyke Quarry open seven days a week during the closure period.”
The city council’s Lib Dem leader Jeremy Hilton (Kingsholm and Wotton) said flytipping will not be tolerated and those caught illegally dumping rubbish in Gloucester will face fines of thousands of pounds
“Our environmental crime officers will stop at nothing to track down offenders and will do everything possible to bring them to justice,” he said.
“Those responsible can expect to face prosecution and significant fines. In fact, only this week, one offender was prosecuted and ordered to pay penalties of more than £1,000 for illegally dumping waste on one of our streets.”