Newcastle Borough Council strives to recover £132k from landfill operator
Officials grapple with debt recovery and future plans for Walleys Quarry
Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council is actively working to reclaim over £132,000 in unpaid business rates and legal fees from Walleys Quarry Ltd, the former operator of the controversial Silverdale landfill site, which went into liquidation in February 2025.
Committee Chair Rupert Adcock questioned available measures, stating: "Is there no other powers the council has to recover the monies that are owed to us?" Councillor Joan Whieldon also voiced concerns, saying: "I wouldn't like to lose £132,000...we need a timeline for this and it needs tracking."
NuLBC has exhausted its options
According to Nesta Barker, service director for regulatory services, the council is among multiple creditors in the liquidation process and is engaging with it as much as possible. She said, "We’ve engaged with that process and we know there hasn’t been the final winding up of that company."
Since Walleys Quarry Ltd's collapse, the Environment Agency has managed the landfill, implementing discretionary powers to mitigate serious pollution risks. Despite improved hydrogen sulphide emission levels, long-term restoration funding remains uncertain.
The Environment Agency plans to commission a full hydrogeological survey later in 2026 to inform a longer-term strategy. Defra, which supports the Environment Agency, stated: "Defra is continuing to engage with the Environment Agency and Newcastle Under Lyme Borough Council on the next steps for Walley's Quarry."
Environment Agency chief executive Philip Duffy highlighted funding limitations in a letter, stating, "We understand, and are committed to, raising the need for funding with government."
Council leader Simon Tagg emphasised the necessity for governmental support to prevent the burden on taxpayers, declaring, "We believe that the Environment Agency, a government agency, dropped the ball massively on this site so it should be the government that funds the restoration."
As discussions with government continue, local authorities strive for a funding package to ensure long-term solutions for Walleys Quarry's restoration.
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