Herts recycling centres set to take tougher stance on those who cannot prove they live here

STAFF at Hertfordshire’s network of recycling centres are set to take a tougher stance on those who cannot prove they live in the county.

But under a temporary arrangement residents from Central Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex will still be allowed.

In March the council said it would restrict access to the council’s network of 16 recycling sites to Hertfordshire residents only.

The move was in response to estimates that suggest one-in-five of those using the centres had travelled in from elsewhere.

And it meant residents would have to provide proof of their Hertfordshire address in order to recycle at the centres.

At a meeting of the full council on Tuesday (May 23) it emerged that the council had – so far – taken a ‘soft’ approach to the new policy.

But from this week – said executive member for the environment Cllr Eric Buckmaster – the council would be warned of a tougher approach.

“So, we have been having a soft approach over the last few weeks, that has been working well,” said Cllr Buckmaster.

“And from this week we are going to start saying to people. ‘well you can come in this time – but next time you will have to bring proof of address or you will be excluded’.”

At the meeting it also emerged that the council was in talks with Central Bedfordshire, Cambridgeshire and Essex about reciprocal agreements.

And, said Cllr Buckmaster, while those discussions continued there would be ‘reciprocal’ arrangements between the authorities.

“The really good news is that as part of the decision it was to talk to all of our members around possible reciprocal arrangements,” he said.

“Quite a few of them were not interested in undertaking that, but certainly Central Beds, Cambridgeshire and Essex are talking to us.

“And while the discussions are going on there are reciprocal arrangements and access to each others’ recycling centres.”

Cllr Buckmaster presented the information to the full council in response to a question by Labour councillor Richard Butler.

And he also addressed concerns that the new policy could lead to an increase in fly-tipping.

“I think that the thought that this will encourage more fly-tipping is wrong,” said Cllr Buckmaster.

“Because anybody who knows about how recycling centres work; it’s people taking in typically a car load, it’s household recycling.

“And where fly-tipping takes place it’s through people not using the right processes.

“People who perhaps don’t want to pay for the cost of a skip through work that’s going on at their property or other reasons.

“It’s of a completely different scale. So I really don’t agree with the fact that anything like this will encourage fly-tipping, because they are two separate matters.”