Past the tipping point!
Fly tipping is a big issue across Heywood.
It's time to tackle fly-tipping!
Fly Tipping is ugly and is destroying our open spaces, it is also dangerous for the wildlife that may root through it and either eat the plastics and other toxins or be trapped and die amongst it. These are the reasons why Tom Shaw, like many local residents, has been reporting fly tipping to the Council and asking for it to be removed.
The Liberal Democrats are calling on Heywood Township to take immediate action to tackle fly-tipping by introducing a Big Skip Day twice a year when the Township will provide street for people to get rid of unwanted household waste. This would cost less than removing flytipping.
Liberal Democrat campaigner, Tom Shaw, stated that “The closure of the Heywood Tip was a big mistake, however we cannot reverse that decision and it is high time that the Council took action to put right some of the mess that they have created. That is why we are calling on Heywood Township to start organising a big-skip day twice a year to give people the chance to get rid of their bulky rubbish and keep Heywood clean.”
Big Skip Day
If you support the Liberal Democrats' calls for a Big Skip Day then please sign the petition below.
Many people in Heywood are blaming their fellow residents for dumping their rubbish, and sometimes that is the case, but why does it happen? Well, there used to be a tip in Heywood where local people could go to get rid of their rubbish. The Labour Party took control of Rochdale Council in December 2010, and in June 2011 the Labour controlled Greater Manchester Waster Disposal Authority decided to close the tip, despite being presented by a massive petition gathered by local Liberal Democrats and residents, and the opposition of both Liberal Democrats and Labour councillors in Rochdale. The authority met on Friday 17 June 2011, following consultation with Councils about its plans. It was decided that six sites would close, including Heywood.
Then a Liberal Democrat Councillor, the late Councillor Peter Rush presented the petition with over 700 signatures from local residents saying “Recycling is not my only concern though, following this disgraceful decision my real worry is that we will now see an increase in fly tipping and this won't just be a problem we face here in Heywood as Peel Lane doesn't just service our Town, the tip is used by residents of Castleton, Norden and Bamford. These areas too will see fly tipping increase as a result of this vote. I will, therefore, be asking what additional resources Rochdale MBC are going to provide to counter the inevitable problems we are sure to face locally."
We are sad to say that the Liberal Democrats were right in 2011, and since then things have only gotten worse.
Liberal Democrats spokesperson, Tom Shaw, stated that “The Council says we can take rubbish to the tip, but the Middleton Tip is only available to residents who can drive their rubbish to the tip, which means that residents without a car could not take their rubbish even if they were allowed to carry it on busses or in a taxi. Rochdale Council do offer a removal service for bulky items, but you are limited in the number of items you can send, and what they might be. This is leaving a lot of residents with household rubbish they want to remove in limbo.”
Liberal Democrats are calling on the Council to at the very least provide a Waste Transfer Compound in Heywood where residents could take larger items that will not fit in their bins, and from where the Council could arrange regular transportation to the tip in Middleton.
Tom added that “Whilst it would not be as efficient as having not closed the Tip, we cannot turn back time and it would at least give us the opportunity to stop the fly tipping.”
