Issue - decisions

Date of Decision:

3^rd May 2024

Title:

Car Hill and Warren Vale HWRC site closures for new cabin installations

Decision Maker:

(Including Job Title)

Sam Barstow – Assistant Director for Community Safety and Street Scene

Specific Delegation:

(If any)

As per the Regeneration and Environment sub-scheme of delegation, the Assistant Director is authorised discharge:

7.       Other functions

Any function not otherwise reserved to the full Council, the Cabinet, a committee of the Cabinet, a member of the Cabinet, a joint committee discharging executive functions or another local authority, relevant to the Assistant Director’s portfolio.

Brief Description of Decision:

To approve the temporary closure of Car Hill and Warren Vale Household Waste Recycling Centres for three days each to allow the disconnection and removal of the old staff cabins and the installation of the new ones.

Car Hill HWRC will be closed from Monday 13^th May and is expected to take no more than three days to complete, meaning the site will re-open for the busier weekdays and weekend. Warren Vale will then be closed from Monday 20^th May and again is expected to take no more than three days to complete. Site will reopen when ready upon early completion.

It is essential that clear and effective communications are shared across social media outlets to make residents aware of the closure dates. The new digital signs at sites can be used to display these closure days to ensure total site awareness. Site staff will also begin to inform residents at site of the impending closure dates in the weeks leading up to the start date. In addition, all Council members will be made aware of the decision and given information on alternative sites that can be used should any residents ask.

Site staff who usually work at these sites will be redeployed to the other HWRCs to help mitigate the additional footfall. One site assistant will remain at each closed site to guide and direct residents to the other sites.

Reasons for the Decision:

It was decided in the recent HWRC contract procurement that RMBC would purchase its own assets with capital funding. Among these assets were four new ‘made to order’ site cabins to replace the old, insufficient cabins at each site. To make the removal and installation of the new cabins safe, the sites must be closed to the public. This will allow the safe movement of heavy-duty machinery within the small sites with minimal risk.

Details of alternative options considered and rejected:

The HWRCs are open 7 days a week and as such have no other option than to close for works of this magnitude to be done. The weeks chosen are after the busiest period (Easter Holidays) and before the next half term holidays. The days chosen are based on lowest regular footfall and ensuring the sites are open and available to residents for the busier weekends.

Conflicts of interest declared by any Executive Member consulted by the decision maker which relates to the decision:

N/A

Dispensations Granted:

(If any)

N/A

Reports or parts of reports considered

N/A