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Household Waste Recycling Centres: changes to opening hours
Proposals are at an advanced stage to revise the opening hours at Somerset’s eighteen Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs). The move, which will take effect at the beginning of March, will save Council Tax payers around £165,000 per year while minimising impact on customers.
Following consultation between Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP), Viridor Waste Management who manage the sites and Somerset County Council (SCC) who fund them, SCC are expected to confirm the change of opening hours when they set a budget on 18th February.
HWRC opening hours from March 1st will be 9am to 5pm in winter months (October to April inclusive), while summer opening hours will be 9am to 7pm. HWRCs open seven days a week, only closing on Christmas Day, Boxing Day and New Years Day.
Hazel Prior-Sankey, Vice-Chair of the Somerset Waste Board and Environment Portfolio Holder for Somerset County Council explained the need for change. “SWP reviewed opening hours and when the sites are actually used to see if we were getting good value for money. We found that there is, in fact, fairly steady usage throughout most of the day but far fewer visitors during the first and last hours. Opening an hour later year round and closing an hour earlier at all sites in the summer gives us an opportunity to save £165,000 per year for the county with little impact on local people. We’ve also looked at what our neighbouring counties do and, even with our new pattern of hours, we’re still similar to or better than any of our neighbouring Councils”.
“HWRCs are a vital part of our recycling efforts but in these difficult times we have to look at ways of reducing costs while minimising the impact on services or jobs” added SWP Managing Director Steve Read. “We will be communicating the changes through prominent notices at the sites and staff will be on hand to answer any questions or concerns during the last part of February”.
For more information on recycling and waste in Somerset, including advice on how you can reduce the amount you produce, log on to www.somersetwaste.gov.uk
13 February 2009
For further details contact Mark Blaker
01823 625714
Email: Mark.blaker@somersetwaste.gov.uk
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