PLANS to close Usk’s recycling centre have been put on hold amid concerns the decision was taken without any consultation.
Monmouthshire council’s cabinet voted to close the Household Waste and Recycling Centre (HWRC) in Usk from March 31 at a meeting last month.
The county council is bidding to increase its recycling rate to avoid the threat of Welsh Government fines, with the Usk HWRC having the lowest recycling rate of any centre in Wales, at 47.92 per cent.
But the decision was branded ‘unacceptable’ by Usk Town Council, which vowed to “do everything we can to overturn this decision.”
In a statement, it said the decision had been taken “without any notification or consultation with Usk Town Council or the public.”
Monmouthshire council’s leader, Cllr Peter Fox, also expressed ‘surprise’ there had not been a consultation around the issue, “to get a deeper understanding of how [the proposal] was seen.”
And on Thursday, Usk Town Council announced that the decision has been put on hold following a meeting with county council bosses.
“We made our views known in no uncertain terms about the proposed closure of the Usk recycling site and the lack of any consultation prior to that announcement,” a statement from the town council said.
“As a result of that meeting the MCC cabinet have agreed to hold the closure in abeyance until appropriate consultation has taken place.
“The decision will then be reviewed.”
Cllr Jane Pratt, Monmouthshire council's cabinet member for waste and recycling, said it has been “agreed that the decision be held in abeyance to enable proper engagement to take place and for the cabinet to review the outcomes of that process.”
“I understand the passion and frustration of the community, however there is a serious need to look at recycling in the county,” she added.
The county council is planning to introduce black bag sorting areas across its recycling centres to boost recycling, but says this will be‘impossible’ at Usk due to the size of the site.
The authority is also facing a potential fine of up to £133,500 if it misses a Welsh Government recycling target of 64 per cent this financial year.
Closing the Usk site could bring the council a saving of £40,000 in management fees, while also saving £30,000 which would otherwise need to be spent on upgrading the centre.
A renegotiated contract with waste company Viridor could bring a further saving of £40,000.
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