Pendle Labour Party Blog

For the Attention of Jo Turton
Executive Director Environment Directorate
Lancashire County Council
Waste Management Group
PO Box 78
Fishergate
Preston
PR1 8XJ

19 July 2011

Dear Jo Turton

AN OPEN LETTER REGARDING THE PROPOSAL TO CLOSE COLNE RECYCLING FACILITY

Pendle Labour Party wish to register a strong objection to the proposal to close the Household Waste Recycling Centre at Colne.  We are opposed to the closure proposals because:-

1. Pendle tax payers should not have to suffer a further and unnecessary cut to their  services when there is plenty of money in reserves at County Hall gathering very  little interest.
2. The County Council cannot hope to meet its 2011/12 priority target of reducing the   amount of waste sent to landfill to  nil by making recycling more difficult.
3. 64% of the households in Pendle are closest to Colne HWRC and only 17% are closest   to the Burnley one. This means that the vast majority of Colne and Nelson residents  will have to travel further to reach a Centre if Colne is closed. The extra   financial cost in fuel will discourage people from recycling and has to be added to  the increased environmental cost.
4. The proposed closure will lead to an increase in fly-tipping, the costs of which   will have to be carried by Pendle Council and not the County Council, creating a   further unfair burden.
5. The jobs of well trained, helpful local staff will be put at risk. Pendle Labour   opposes any such redundancies caused by this poorly conceived proposal.
6. The County Council should be negotiating with SITA to protect the future use of the  Centre, instead of acting as if it is going to cease to be available.

Pendle Labour Party is gathering a petition against the closures and this will be sent in prior to the end of the public consultation period in early September.

We are encouraging all Pendle residents to register their opposition to the closures and pages of the petition are available for people to complete on request from our offices.

Yours truly

David Foat
Pendle CLP Secretary