Derek Deedman

Parish Councils in the Chanctonbury area of the Horsham District are outraged at County Council and Horsham District plans to withdraw the mobile waste recycling service at the end of June 2008.

It is claimed that the service has to close because of health & safety concerns and that  operational difficulties at the existing sites used by the mobile service mean that most of the waste ends up at landfill sites rather than being recycled. In addition there is a view that traders are using the sites for free, rather than paying for disposal , costing the council tax payers large sums of money.

The two Councils consider that with most of the waste being brought to the mobile sites by car, those cars could be driven to permanent household waste sites at Hop Oast near Horsham or at Billingshurst. Other options suggested are residents buying a second green collection bin or using an improved bulky waste service (which currently has to be paid for), for the collection of furniture. None of these options are likely to satisfy local residents especially because they will cost them more whilst the mobile service is free to the user.

In the longer term the District Council should be providing a new kerbside service for dry recyclables, but this will not cover everything which is currently going to the mobile waste service, and in any event is unlikely to be available throughout the Horsham District until 2009.

Councillors on the Chanctonbury County Local Committee  have demanded a meeting to see whether the mobile service can be saved, and are due to meeting the County Cabinet member responsible on Tuesday afternoon (29th January).

All-in-all not a good start to the County Council’s proposed change in culture to become customer focussed, providing services people really want!