Council reveals reason behind lack of checks at Nuneaton’s tip

A technical glitch led to appointments at Nuneaton’s tip not being checked. It has been reported that, over recent weeks, people have been using Judkins Household Waste Recycling Centre off Tuttle Hill despite not booking an appointment to use the service.

A booking system was put in place at all of the recycling centres across Warwickshire during the pandemic and it has remained ever since. It means that those who want to use the tip should book an appointment to do so.

But there have been concerns that people have been simply turning up as no checks are being made at the site. A Warwickshire County Council spokesperson explained that there have been some problems at the centre, but they have now been fixed.

“There have recently been some technology issues at Judkins HWRC which meant that some bookings were not checked,” the spokesman said. “However, these issues have now been resolved so we would ask residents to ensure they have a booking to avoid any disappointment.”

On-the-day bookings at Warwickshire recycling centres

The county council said that visitors can book a slot on the same day for any of its nine recycling centres. But they have to be able to demonstrate they have made the booking, which can be on a smartphone or tablet, or printed out. Visitors booking in advance will be on the list held at the recycling centre.

During peak times – weekends and weekday mornings – staff routinely check bookings. This may be at the gate or within the skip area of the site.

Councillor Heather Timms, cabinet member for the environment, climate and culture, said: “The booking system at our recycling centres is popular with the majority of our visitors and what they like most is the reduced queuing and the efficient experience on site. We take a pragmatic approach to checking bookings and during quieter times we do not always have a dedicated staff member on the gate.

“When staff speak to someone without a booking and they didn’t know about the booking system, so long as the site has capacity, the visitor will be allowed to deposit their waste on that occasion, but they are reminded to book to avoid disappointment in the future should the site be busier. When sites are fully booked, we have an obligation to honour bookings and keep queues down, so people who have not booked will be turned away. As we approach the summer, our busiest time of year, it is especially important for customers to book their visit to avoid any disappointment.

“Warwickshire recycling centres offer an array of opportunities to reuse and recycle your unwanted items. Preloved items for reuse can be donated at every site to be resold for the benefit of local charities. I want to thank our visitors for their ongoing dedication to recycling which helps to reduce resource use and keeps material in circulation to reduce climate impact. This dedication is an important element of our commitment to create a Warwickshire that is sustainable now and for future generations.”

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