Petition launched to fight new tip fees and booking system
The authority is set introduce the changes from April 1, but it is no joke for residents who fear that it will put people off from using sites like the Potters Household Waste Recycling Centre in Welshpool if they have to book ahead, or have to pay to dump certain rubbish.
The petition is gathering momentum with well over 1,000 signatures already, and its creator, Cllr Joy Jones who is the Powys County Council poverty champion, said it will create “unnecessary hassle and financial burdens for thousands of residents”.
“Where do they think people are going to get the money from? They’re either going to end up burning it or dumping it,” Cllr Jones told us.
“I can’t believe it. This is so short-sighted because you’re going to end up with the council having to clean up the flight tipping that they have caused.
“We already know that there are people struggling. Wages aren’t going up, people are in poverty and this is just going to open the floodgates to the whole countryside being littered with rubble and discarded furniture.
“We’ll also end up with gardens piled high which will then have to be cleared when people move out or will cause a rodent issue. All this would come extra cost to the council.
“And where is the consultation with the public on this? Because, I can't believe that the public, in a consultation, would have backed this.”
The booking system comes into effect from March 25 for residents to book their first time slot, followed on April 1, 2025, by extra charges for using the Household Recycling Centres for disposing of DIY waste. Charges will be varied depending on the material.
The petition can be found here.
Last week, Shropshire County Council said it was binning the booking system after just three months due to it not working as expected, but it will keep the charges for certain household waste like DIY and building-type waste.
Powys County Council has stood firm, pointing out that in other areas where the changes have been introduced, “residents’ surveys confirm they are very happy with the system once it has settled down”.
For more information on the plans, you can visit https://en.powys.gov.uk/HRC.
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