What is happening to Birstall tip: Council told to put controversial Birstall tip closure plan on hold

At a meeting of Kirklees Council’s environment and climate change scrutiny panel, the decision to close Birstall’s Household Waste Recycling Centre (HWRC) at Nab Lane and reduce the opening hours at two other sites were examined as part of the “call-in” by the Conservative group.

Here, it emerged that some of the cabinet members who had voted on the council’s Waste Disposal Strategy earlier this year may not have realised this gave officers the authority to decide to close a site.

This was among the reasons that ultimately resulted in the panel recommending that the plans be paused and referred to cabinet for determination.

All three Conservative Birstall and Birkenshaw ward councillors – Con Mark Thompson, Coun Josh Sheard and Coun Elizabeth Smaje – spoke at the meeting expressing concerns for their residents and around the decision-making processes.

Councillor Josh Sheard said: “We have a duty to make sure the voices of our constituents and in this case they simply have not.

"The lack of transparency erodes trust and local government is supposed to serve the people, not make decisions behind closed doors without consulting the very communities that the decisions that we make are going to affect.”

In a statement earlier this month, the council had said that the plans for HWRCs were approved as part of the money-saving measures included in March’s budget.

However, Councillor Thompson told the meeting that there was “no mention” of the closure of any site in the budget document or any other.

Executive director for place, David Shepherd told the meeting that the powers had been granted during a cabinet meeting in April and assured the panel that the business case for the closure of the Birstall tip and reduction of hours at two other sites had been “fully considered” using the available data.

However, he did offer ward councillors an apology, and said: “We could and should have done better in terms of engaging with local members on this issue. You should not have heard from anyone other than council officers around this issue.”

The panel recommended the plans were “paused” and referred back to cabinet for determination.