Derek Deedman

At a well attended Chanctonbury County Local Committee (CLC) meeting in Pulborough last night, Horsham District Councillors attacked County Council representatives over the proposed closure of the Mobile Waste Service at the end of June.

Yet, as became quite clear, it is Horsham District Council, who operate the Service on the County Council’s behalf, who are refusing to operate the Service after that date on health and safety grounds! And other potential operators have told County Officers that they would not take on the task. So, even if the other concerns County has about the Service can be addressed, it looks impossible to continue after the end of June unless the Horsham District Councillors turn their fire on their own leaders to get them to change their minds about operating the Service.

Despite a presentation by the County Officers explaining the reasons for the proposed closure of the Service, both District and Parish Councillors and the public present were against the proposal. Many good points were made (including those made by Bramber, Steyning and Upper Beeding residents to local Councillors), refuting some of the closure reasons, highlighting the consequences in increased environmental costs from the extra driving to distant Household Waste Sites, and suggesting some constructive ideas on the way forward.

One of the main themes was the view that at the very least the Service must continue until suitable and acceptable alternatives were in operation. But, as Derek Deedman pointed out, this is dependent on Horsham District Councillors agreeing to continue to operate the Service on the County’s behalf.

It was announced that CLC Chairman, Pat Arculus, will be chairing the Task Force which the County Cabinet Member has set up to carry out an urgent review of the situation, and that locally Derek Deedman, District Cllr George Cockman and Steyning Parish Chairman Jackie Campbell will also be members of the Task Force.

The Task Force is planned to meet a number of times over the next few weeks and will make recommendations to the Cabinet Member by the end of April. He committed himself last night that he would to do everything in his power to implement the recommendations from the Task Force.

At the end of the day, although the Horsham District Councillors need to sort out their own Council’s role in this matter, a number of valid points were made at the meeting and these will be considered by the Task Force in its deliberations over the next month. All is not yet lost, the Cabinet Member is now fully aware of the wishes of local people to keep this Service, and hopefully the Task Force will be able to recommend a way forward which will be acceptable to all concerned.