Plymouth's Tory leader questions City Council's decision to charge for waste disposal
From January 26 residents will have to pay to get rid of soil, rubble, plasterboard and asbestos
Conservative opposition leader Nick Kelly has questioned a Plymouth City Council decision to charge residents to dispose of some types of waste.
The fees will come in at the Chelson Meadow household waste recycling centre from January 26 for soil, rubble, plasterboard and asbestos.
But the Tory leader questioned the cost and logistics of the new system, the possibility of disputes over the rules, and the risk of it leading to increased fly-tipping.
Cllr Kelly said the estimated extra income was ‘peanuts’ in terms of the council’s overall budget, and said if the policy led to extra fly-tipping, the council would have to pay the clear-up costs.
The councillor said the opposition group had not been consulted over the charges introduced by the Labour-run council.
He said: "I do think it is an ill-thought-through way to raise a relatively small amount of money."
The council said in a statement on Wednesday that soil and rubble will be £2.40 per bag or item, plasterboard £6 per bag or sheet, and bonded asbestos £11 per bag or sheet.
The statement said construction waste accounted for nine per cent of all fly-tipping and the council would continue to respond robustly and prosecute anyone found to be responsible.
Visitors to the Chelson Meadow centre will be greeted by a staff member and asked what they want to dispose of.
If there are any charged materials, they will be directed to a dedicated area of the site, with payment by card only.
Items classed by the council as soil and rubble are: bricks, breeze blocks, concrete, drainage pipes (ceramic/porcelain), gravel, hardcore, paving slabs, rubble, sand, sanitary ware (ceramic/porcelain toilets, bidets, sinks, shower trays, pipes, etc), soil, slates/slabs, stones, tarmac, tiles (ceramic, porcelain, floor, roof, wall) and turf.