A CONTROVERSIAL plan to introduce a booking system to all recycling centres locally is now looking increasingly certain to take place despite widespread opposition.
It is part of a series of what the Council described as health and safety improvements which are costing in the region of almost £4 million and are likely to be implemented within two years.
But local ratepayers have been severely criticising the introduction of the booking system especially, with many feeling that it would seriously affect the elderly or those not accustomed to mobile phones or computers.
Councillors have warned about ‘misinformation and scaremongering’ in relation to the new system and want to see a public awareness campaign carried out.
They had appeared set to reject the booking system proposal. But a meeting of its Environmental Services committee last week was told that the new system was required to improve health and safety at sites.
The Director of Environment and Place, John News, said that the issue had been discussed by councillors at a member workshop in September and that those councillors present recognised the ‘primacy of health and safety considerations.’
He said that the system must be ‘as simple as possible, not place any restrictions on the number of visits that members could make and would support the retention of pedestrian access to sites and better recycling behaviours.
Mr News also added that the new system would include the provision of telephone booking services and that there would need to be ‘early sustained and effective engagements’ with residents well in advance of implementation.
The Council is also considering the introduction of new barrier systems to separate vehicles and pedestrians.
It follows a review by the Health and Safety Executive, and feedback from members, residents and staff.
Cllr Debbie Coyle warned the Council it needed to be ‘mindful’ of the language being used in relation to the proposed changes.
“When we are talking about an online system – for booking – anyone who is not online starts to panic,” she said.
“That is when the scaremongering and all of that comes in. Is the booking system one that can be done in person, on the phone or online and I think that’s how we need to promote it. The whole scaremongering stuff is around the online system.
“As someone who is a regular user of recycling centres, I have to say that I have never seen anyone walking in to them. But we need to have proper information out to the public about how it is progressing and the timescale.”
