Cheshire East Council is introducing a number of changes to household waste recycling centres from Monday 5 August.
From this date, residents wishing to visit Alsager, Crewe, Macclesfield or Knutsford HWRC during weekends or Bank Holidays will need to book a slot online in advance of their visit. There will be no limit to the number of times people can visit.
These centres will also be open for an extra hour during weekdays, meaning over the summer months so residents will be able to visit up until 6pm.
Whilst the temporary closure of Bollington, Poynton and Middlewich HWRCs will take place as of 5pm on Sunday 4 August.
For residents in the Bollington, Poynton and Middlewich areas, a mobile household waste recycling service will be available to them – they can also visit any of the other HWRCs in the borough. The mobile HWRC will alternate between the three towns and each one will receive one visit per month. This will take place on a Saturday morning.
The changes are being introduced on a temporary and trial basis to enable savings to be made in 2024/25 as the council is currently forecasting a funding gap of £100m over the next four years.
Councillor Mick Warren, chair of Cheshire East Council's environment and communities committee, said: "The emergency closure of some HWRCs in the borough was agreed as part of this year's budget and we have been working hard to ensure the transition is as smooth as possible.
"As part of this, we are timing the mitigation measures – the booking system, later opening hours, and the mobile HWRC – to go live at the same time as the emergency closures."
Cllr Warren added: "Over the next few weeks, we'll be providing residents with more information about the booking system for weekends and Bank Holidays, as well as how residents in the Bollington, Poynton and Middlewich areas can access the mobile HWRC.
"The latest information will be found online on the council's website at cheshireeast.gov.uk/hwrc and I encourage residents to keep checking back as this webpage will continue to be updated as more details are confirmed.
"For now, and until the changes come into effect on 5 August, I'd like to remind residents that all HWRCs in Cheshire East can be accessed as normal."
The changes are being introduced separately to an ongoing review of HWRCs. A public consultation on proposals for the longer-term provision of HWRC services recently closed.
Comments
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First introduce a £56 charge for green waste then limit times when people can dispose of their own.
This "booking a slot" won't stop a queue of cars forming probably back onto the main road, people won't leave and come back another time if they believe it's their only chance during that day.
Whilst they're dreaming up new ways to fleece council tax payers perhaps Cheshire East should start a website "flytipping.com" ... I guarantee it'd be popular
Our Council are closing waste recycling sites and reducing their hours of operation and then seem surprised that those remaining sites are getting congested at weekends.