WCC news release: Warwickshire County Council announces date for reopening of Household Waste Recycling Centres

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Press Release

Published on 11 May 2020
Archived on 11 June 2020


Warwickshire County Council has announced that it will be reopening the majority of its Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) to the public from Monday 18 May.

The decision follows guidance from Government earlier this week giving local authorities the green light to reopen HWRCs when they were able to safely do so, with staff and visitors able to follow social distancing rules. Work has been ongoing to ensure that sufficient staff are available to open and supervise the safety of centres.

Three of the smaller HWRCs at Stockton, Wellesbourne and Shipston will not, however, be reopening on 18 May. A date for their reopening will be announced in the coming weeks.

Although it has given permission for local authorities to reopen HWRCs, Government guidance advises that centres should only be used where essential; if possible, waste should either be stored safely at home or put with kerbside collections which have been maintained by the district and borough councils.

In order to safely manage numbers at the centres when they reopen, and to minimise the effects of traffic in the areas, the county council is finalising an online booking service which must be used to book a slot at a centre before turning up. Further details of that will be announced next week along with guidance on how to make a booking.

Cllr Heather Timms, portfolio holder for environment and heritage and culture, said: "We have been acutely aware that residents want to get to our recycling centres so we are delighted at the revised guidance from Government.  Our officers have been working very hard to make sure that we can be open as soon as this was safe to do so, both for staff and for members of the public and I would like to thank them for their efforts in recent weeks.

"DEFRA's statement that HWRCs can reopen does not mean that this can happen immediately. We still have some work to do to ensure safety measures are in place at the sites and also on the surrounding roads so I stress that HWRCs will not be open this weekend nor next weekend.

"Reopening on 18 May is a huge step towards resuming something approaching a normal service. When this happens, I ask that customers are patient and show kindness and respect to each other and staff. I would also like to extend the thanks of the county council towards our colleagues at borough and district councils who have supported managing waste throughout the lockdown period by maintaining, and in some cases extending, what they have been collecting at kerbsides."

For further details go to https://www.warwickshire.gov.uk/information-coronavirus/coronavirus-waste-recycling/1


Contact details

Stratford-on-Avon District Council
Elizabeth House, Church Street,
Stratford-upon-Avon, Warwickshire,
CV37 6HX
Tel: 01789 267575

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Last updated on 11/05/2020