Macclesfield candidate hopefuls’ share thoughts on potential mothballing of Bollington and Poynton tips
By Jamie Griffiths
17th Jun 2024 | General Election 2024
Household waste and recycling centres in Bollington and Poynton are facing closure by Cheshire East Council.
The cash-strapped council voted the 'emergency closures' through at the council's budget meeting back in February in a bid to save money.
The three tips at Bollington, Middlewich and Poynton had been due to be mothballed last month but have remained open while Cheshire East Council sort out alternative provision.
A six-week consultation was launched on how household waste recycling centre services are delivered in the future which is due to close at the end of this week on the 16th June.
Macclesfield Nub News contacted all the candidate hopefuls vying to be Macclesfield's next MP for their thoughts on this important issue and here's what they had to say.
Listed in alphabetical order.
Stephen Broadhurst (Reform UK)
The first Reform candidate to stand in Macclesfield Stephen Broadhurst had this to say on the issue.
"The Labour ran Cheshire East Council must think the people of Macclesfield are behind the door, we all know what 'mothballing' means, designed to try and pull the wool over our eyes, it is a term used instead of 'closed' without saying it."
"This Labour Council is used to thinking that they can just do what they like, when they like and everyone will just put up with it. Believe me, the council tax payers of Macclesfield are beginning to realise this and push back and Cheshire East don't like it."
"This shows the power of the people and I want to encourage this even more so, in order to change the overall appalling service we receive from them. I am the only the candidate who will take them on at their own game."
"So, after the backlash/negative publicity they received for this, their tactic is now to say 'mothballed' meaning 'temporary' and 'to be reviewed' without giving a time frame - secretly hoping that this will go away and eventually this mothballing will become permanent, have no doubt about that, the chances are these tips will never open again while this authority is in charge."
"The same happened when they closed Congleton (not even our constituency) and now these residents have to travel to Macclesfield (your good selves reported on this) so, over time, it has just become an accepted norm. This is how Cheshire East operate, treating us like we are fools and that we will all just go away and not question their incompetence, disgraceful.
Neil Christian (Liberal Democrats)
The Liberal Democrat candidate Neil Christian has vowed to protect public service.
In a statement he said: "Neil Christian and the Macc Lib Dems are leading the charge to protect at risk public services. The local Lib Dems set up a petition which got over 7,000 signatures, opposing the closure of the Household Waste and Recycling Centres (HWRCs) in Bollington and Poynton."
"Neil will continue to champion the protection of vital local services and keep these sites open. Sadly, Labour led Cheshire East Council are pushing these cuts through.
"Macclesfield is being dumped on by both the big parties and on July 4 voters should not waste their chance to send both a message."
Dickie Fletcher (Social Democratic Party)
Dickie Fletcher, the Social Democratic Party candidate had this to say on the issue.
He said: "The cuts being proposed to the Waste Recycling Centres in Poynton and Bollington really highlight the difficult financial choices having to be taken at Cheshire East Council. Obviously, the loss of these services goes against the Council's desire to meet its green commitments and will inevitably lead to an increase in car journeys and the blight of fly-tipping."
"So why are these choices being made?"
"Well, if we dig deeper and look at the reality of the numbers, sadly statutory service provision now takes the vast majority of the Council's budget, leaving them having to drastically cut all other non-statutory community services, including local Waste Recycling Centres."
"This statutory spending, which accounts for the majority of Council's budgets, covers care for the elderly and young people with Specialist Educational, Health & Care needs. The demand for these services has increased dramatically."
"But here is how our whole system lets us down, because most of the money spent in these care sectors ends up in the private sector."
"Over 90% of specialist provision for adult social care is in private hands, often Private Equity owned companies, headquartered overseas. These companies leverage themselves with debt, on property transactions, whilst the care service costs increase and the whole of Council budgets suffer as a consequence. With no other options for provision of services, the Council has no choice (ironic, given the "free market")."
"Some people will point out the wasteful use of Consultants by the Council. But whilst that should be forensically accounted for, it will be small beer compared to the care services budget."
"This is really a failure of confidence in State provision of care services in this country. Instead of the Govt and Local Councils caring directly for our elderly or young people with Special Educational, Health & Care needs, they are at the mercy of the private sector. It's a scandalous waste of taxpayers' money, with no evidence of value for money."
"But what about the tip, I hear you ask? Well, these statutory costs inevitably crowd out the vital, but non-statutory services for local communities, such as their tips and libraries."
"We must fundamentally change how we care for the elderly and vulnerable in our society. If we don't, then Council budgets will continue to be squeezed and local services will continue to be cut."
Amanda Iremonger (Green Party)
The Green Party candidate Amanda Iremonger had this to say on the issue.
She said: "It is disappointing that our council continues to threaten damaging cuts with no strategic vision for this to stop. This year tips and libraries, what next? Potentially closing tips, particularly in conjunction with the recent charging for Green Bins will increase fly tipping causing nuisance and triggering costs which could so easily be avoided."
"Cheshire East has been badly impacted by the combination of the Conservative's Austerity strategy and the Council's own lack of strategic vision. Both Labour and Conservatives have conspired to lay waste (excuse the pun) to our services. The Green Party offers real hope of real change."
"We in Cheshire East do quite well in recycling 56% of our waste, nonetheless we have the opportunity to do so much more, at a local level but also nationally, to protect and value our natural resources and work towards zero waste."
"I see other parties talking about maintaining local services, and we need to do this, but not the costs of this. Real change can only come when others join us in talking honestly about how we will fund these services, and others, to protect the most vulnerable in our society: through fair taxation of those most able to bear it to deliver support for those in need."
Tim Roca (Labour)
Labours Tim Roca has called on local government to be properly funded.
He said: "People will have seen my opposition to these cuts. It is a scandal that our local council has been defunded by the Conservative government, with a 63% reduction in funding since 2010. We need to fund local government properly and protect basic services."
David Rutley (Conservatives)
I am strongly opposed to plans to close Bollington and Poynton recycling centres and have been actively campaigning against Cheshire East Council's proposals, since they were first put forward.
Closing the recycling centres will only lead to more fly-tipping – particularly in rural areas, inappropriate use of waste bins and longer journey times. There would also be further negative impacts on residents unable to or choosing not to opt into Cheshire East Council's new, unpopular garden waste annual charge.
It's another example of how local residents in the north of the borough are losing out under Labour-run Cheshire East Council. I am calling on the Council to rethink its plans and start engaging with local communities to ensure that local residents can continue to have access to these well-used services.
I am committed to go on working to see these plans reversed and to keep these important recycling centres open.
Christopher Wellavize (Independent)
The only independent candidate in this election had this to say on the issue.
"The recycling centres are very important to me personally and to the whole community. We have developed good habits when it comes to recycling and the proposed closure completely undermines our efforts. In a climate emergency it is appalling", he said.
"My conclusion is that Cheshire East has no will or appetite to deliver the vital services that we pay them to do. As soon as they face a challenge, they raise the white flag and give up. They are not fit for purpose."
"I called yesterday evening for the conservative members of the council to combine with the independents and submit a vote of no confidence in the minority led labour council. Our local labour councillors need to be prepared to put the community before party and make it clear to the labour leadership that they are not prepared to countenance closure of the libraries or recycling centres and would vote against it in any new motion put before the council."
"As the axe of cutbacks is focused entirely on our local area not Crewe or the South of East Cheshire a section 114 might well be of benefit to us as an impartial decision maker appointed by central government would be unlikely to be worse than Cheshire East and may be exactly what we need."
"Many of the local people who I speak to feel that the council are incompetent and that no amount of money would change that. Can they be trusted with our money?"
"I vow to fight with every fibre of my body to fight for our local services if elected. Cheshire East are very unlikely to close anything in the run up to the general election so as not to damage the prospects of the Labour candidate."
"We need to have our strategy ready before July 4."
The General Election takes place on July 4.
If you are not already registered to vote, you can apply online at: www.gov.uk/register-to-vote. You must be registered to vote by midnight on Tuesday 18 June.
See Also: General Election 2024: Labour lead in Macclesfield Nub News readers' poll
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