COUNCIL leader Cllr Russ Bowden says it is disappointing that the authority has been not been able to ‘push on’ with delivering a waste transfer station.

Plans for a £7.83 million facility, on Winwick Road, were refused last year.

It came after almost 1,000 people signed a petition objecting to the facility following fears over traffic, odours, air quality and vermin.

The matter arose during Monday’s cabinet meeting, in which members approved waste-related contracts for the borough.

The decision will enable the council to procure appropriate waste disposal contracts to facilitate the disposal of both dry mixed recycled waste and residual waste, as well as the provision of a suitable waste transfer facility.

A report, which came before the cabinet, confirmed the 2019-20 waste budgets for the provision of residual waste and dry mixed recycled waste total £5,832,223.

The figure was highlighted by Cllr Hitesh Patel, cabinet member for transformation.

He said: “When the public talk about what the council spends its money on, I don’t think we realise just how expensive collecting waste is.”

As Warrington does not have direct access to a suitable waste transfer station in the borough, the contracts included the need for the successful bidder to have access to a facility within a ‘commutable distance’ of the town.

Cllr Bowden said it was ‘disappointing’ that the council has not been able to ‘push on with the obvious issues, such as delivering a waste transfer station’.

Financial details over the contracts were discussed in part two in private.

For more information visit warrington.gov.uk/cabinet-minutes-agendas-and-reports.