We need more time for recycling, not less
Register for free to read more of the latest local news. It's easy and will only take a moment.
THE community of Portsoy came out in force on Saturday to protest about a reduction in service to its household waste and recycling centre.
Aberdeenshire Council had proposed plans to close the centre altogether, which was met with anger and concern by locals.
The local authority made a U-turn last week when it announced the closure proposals would be scrapped as a result of public feedback.
However, Portsoy residents still have concerns about the hours the centre would be open, which will be reduced, and how it will affect other sites in Banffshire.
A decision on a range of changes to recycling and waste services in Aberdeenshire is expected to be made on Thursday.
Portsoy and District Community Council member Rod Lovie, who has been working on the issue for the group said: "At short notice, the community of Portsoy have asked the Portsoy and District Community Council to intervene on their behalf.
"This report shows that the criteria set by the strategy on which recycling centres are set to close are not met in the case of the Portsoy centre. The concerns now are that the hours proposed are not going to be enough for the well-used community facility and that they are cutting the hours of other recycling centres to cover the cost of keeping Portsoy open."
The community council collected 800 signatures in a petition to save the centre.
Aberdeenshire Council's infrastructure services committee (ISC) will discuss a new waste strategy on Thursday after views were sought in a consultation in September on proposals to push up the area's recycling rate and send less materials to landfill.
Discussions on the future of the service were scheduled to take place in November but were delayed to allow extra time to take residents' views into account – proposed service changes have been amended as a result.
An Aberdeenshire Council spokeswoman said: "Proposals to close Portsoy and Insch household waste and recycling centres have been removed as a result of public feedback.
"It is proposed that both centres would stay open two days a week, with the cost to be covered by slightly shortening opening hours at other recycling centres."
Changes to kerbside services have also been proposed and, out of the two options consulted on, councillors are recommended to choose the option which will give residents a 180 litre non-recyclable waste bin to be emptied every three weeks.
Paper and card and metals, cartons and plastics recycling bins would also be incorporated into the three-weekly collection cycle, together with a weekly food waste collection.
By increasing recycling the proposed change is expected to reduce service costs by at least £500,000 per year, money which will be reinvested into other council services.
If approved, changes to the network of recycling centres and new seasonal garden waste points would start in 2019, whilst changes to kerbside services are planned for 2020/21.
