Committee Report Checklist
Stage 1
Report checklist – responsibility of report owner
|
ITEM |
Yes / No |
Date |
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Councillor engagement / input from Chair prior to briefing |
yes |
25/1/2026 |
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Commissioner engagement (if report focused on issues of concern to Commissioners such as Finance, Assets etc) |
yes |
25/1/2026 |
|
Relevant Group Head review |
yes |
25/1/2026 |
|
MAT+ review (to have been circulated at least 5 working days before Stage 2) |
Yes |
25/1/2026 |
|
This item is on the Forward Plan for the relevant committee |
yes |
25/1/2026 |
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Reviewed by |
|
|
|
Finance comments (circulate to Finance) |
AS |
25/1/2026 |
|
Risk comments (circulate to Lee O’Neil) |
LO |
25/1/2026 |
|
Legal comments (circulate to Legal team) |
LH |
25/02/2026 |
|
HR comments (if applicable) |
n/a |
25/1/2026 |
For reports with material financial or legal implications the author should engage with the respective teams at the outset and receive input to their reports prior to asking for MO or s151 comments.
Do not forward to stage 2 unless all the above have been completed.
Stage 2
Report checklist – responsibility of report owner
|
ITEM |
Completed by |
Date |
|
Monitoring Officer commentary – at least 5 working days before MAT |
L Heron |
25/02/2025 |
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S151 Officer commentary – at least 5 working days before MAT |
TC |
26/02/2026 |
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|
|
|
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Confirm final report cleared by MAT |
|
|
Environment and Sustainability
Thursday 19 March
|
Title |
Spelthorne Recycling Bring Sites |
|
Purpose of the report |
To make a decision |
|
Report Author |
Jackie Taylor Group Head Neighbourhood Services |
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Ward(s) Affected |
All Wards |
|
Exempt |
No |
|
Exemption Reason |
Not applicable |
|
Corporate Priority |
Community Environment Services |
|
Recommendations
|
Committee is asked to: Authorise the Group Head Neighbourhood Services to close the following bring sites located around the borough. · Hadfield Road, Stanwell · White House Depot, Ashford · Woodlands Parade, Ashford · High Street, Shepperton |
|
Reason for Recommendation |
The recommendation to close these "bring sites" (public recycling bank) is due to illegal dumping, and/or fly-tipping. The sites listed within this report with a recommendation of closure are due to the cost and effort of clearing illegally dumped waste outweighing the benefits of providing the service. |
1. Executive summary of the report
|
What is the situation |
Why we want to do something |
|
• Spelthorne has eighteen bring sites located around the borough, these sites are misused daily and the time spent clearing and removing the illegal dumping of waste far outweighs the benefits of providing the service. |
• The illegal dumping of waste at these bring sites creates a vermin issue as well as excessive amounts of time trying to keep them clean and presentable. |
|
This is what we want to do about it |
These are the next steps |
|
• Close the bring sites at the locations listed. |
• Ensure that local residents have provision to dispose of their recycling waste. Remove signage and bins from each of the sites and monitor/enforce any subsequent fly tipping. |
2. Key issues
2.1 Everyone has a legal duty of care to ensure their waste is disposed of correctly and legally and not allowing waste to be dumped illegally either by a carrier or the person creating the waste.
2.2 Duty of Care: Both individuals and businesses have a "duty of care" to ensure their waste is disposed of legally. Using a bring site for prohibited items is a criminal offense under the Environmental Protection Act 1990.
2.3 In the UK, "bring sites" (local recycling points often found in car parks) are increasingly being removed by local councils primarily due to persistent illegal dumping and fly-tipping.
2.3 Fly-tipping and Dumping: These sites frequently attract non-recyclable household waste, commercial waste, and bulky items that should be taken to the Household Wate & Recycling Centre (HWRC) in Shepperton, or disposed of by way of an authorised waste disposal contractor.
· Contamination: When non-recyclable materials are dumped into recycling bins, the entire load often becomes contaminated and must be sent to landfill or incineration instead of being recycled.
· Operational Costs: The Council spends a significant amount of time enforcing and clearing dumped rubbish and cleaning sites, which often exceeds the benefit of the recyclables collected. Clearamce of these sites is incorporated into other daily tasks and it is not possible to provide an estimated cost of clearance.
· New Legislation: The Environment Act 2021 and updated "Simpler Recycling" rules (effective 2025) require more consistent kerbside collections, reducing the necessity for communal bring sites.
2.4 Bring sites were established over twenty years ago before alternate weekly kerbside collections of rubbish and recyclables were introduced to residential properties. Spelthorne made this move in 2007 and has since been moving those properties that could not recycle kerbside at that time to alternate weekly collection and so providing them with a kerbside recycling and food waste service.
2.5 Since 2007 when residents waste disposal was limited to 240l bins we have seen an increase in the amount and frequencies of fly tips at these locations. This generates complaints from residents and councillors due to the unsightly nature of piles of rubbish and fly tipping in what should be a clean area of just properly disposed of and contained recyclables.
2.6 Ten years ago a decision was made to close some of the worst sites at that time, those being on Tesco Sunbury and Tesco Stanwell, both sites generated large volumes of fly tipped waste, both commercial and residential and little or no valuable recycling. Other bring sites also closed over several years include Woodthorpe Road Ashford, Horton Road Stanwell Moor, Clare Road shops and Spelthorne Leisure Centre.
2.7 The Governments Resources and Waste Strategy (GRAWS) requires local authorities to provide more consistent kerbside collections which have reduced the need for bring sites to be operating.
2.8 Despite the Council introducing more options for recycling at the kerbside such as those listed below, we continue to see a rising number of fly tips and contaminated bins at the bring sites.
· Alternate weekly kerbside collection of waste
· Alternate weekly kerbside collection of recyclables
· Weekly kerbside collection of food waste
· Weekly kerbside collection of small electricals and textiles
2.9 More often than not, due to the dumping of waste and contamination of bins, most of the waste left at bring sites has to be sent for disposal as residual waste, rather than being recycled as originally intended.
2.10 Over many years, we have participated in campaigns through the Tidy Britain Campaign, as well as using our own social media channels, to educate both residents and non-residents about the potential fines and costs associated with fly-tipping if caught.
2.11 We have also been successful in securing grant funding to help identify and prosecute fly-tippers, not only at bring sites but also at other known fly-tipping hotspots.
2.12 Reporting fly-tipping is a statutory requirement for all local authorities. However it is not possible to accurately estimate how many fly-tipping incidents occur at bring sites, as most accumulations of waste are created by multiple unknown individuals over time.
2.13 Since the establishment of the Joint Enforcement Team (JET), officers have carefully monitored activities that result in fly-tipping and have issued numerous Fixed Penalty Notices (FPNs). However, this approach tends to deter only those individuals who receive a fine and does not prevent others from fly-tipping or contaminating bins.
2.14 Appendix 1 demonstrates the extent of fly-tipping encountered at some bring sites over the past 12 months.
2.15 The Borough has a Community Recycling Centre (CRC) in Shepperton, which is a Surrey County Council (SCC) site. Surrey residents can use the facility to dispose of household waste, recyclables, and green waste. The site is open seven days a week throughout the year from 8am to 4pm, except on 25 and 26 December and 1 January, when it is closed.
2.16 The CRC accepts all materials that residents would normally be able to dispose of at a bring site, as well as additional waste types and larger quantities. It is well located in the centre of the borough with easy access.
2.17 This site provides a comprehensive waste disposal option for all residents and can be used once the bring sites are closed.
3. Options appraisal and proposal
3.1 Option 1 (preferred)
Close these bring sites due to persistent fly-tipping and lack of appropriate use, with closures advertised on social media and clear signage installed to direct users to alternative waste disposal options. We are fully aware that removing such bring site may initially create some criticism and we accept that the removal can only take place alongside a convenient alternative and strong communication.
3.2 Option 2
Take no action at these sites, which would continue to provide opportunities for fly-tippers to deposit both domestic and commercial waste. Due to the nature of fly-tipping, enforcement relies on identifying vehicles used to transport waste to the sites through DVLA records. Where individuals arrive on foot, it is not possible to identify the fly-tipper and therefore no enforcement action can be taken.
Although covert cameras are installed at some locations and prosecutions are pursued where offenders can be identified, most fly-tippers do not leave personal identifying information within the waste. In addition, vehicle registration plates are frequently obscured or out of view, making identification and enforcement difficult.
4. Risk implications
Risks Associated with Removing Public Bring Sites and Mitigation Measures
|
Risk |
|
Mitigation Measures |
||
|
Increased fly-tipping |
Residents may dump recyclables or waste illegally due to loss of convenient facilities |
Strengthen
enforcement and surveillance Rapid clean-up response Actions built into existing officer’s workloads |
||
|
Reduced recycling rates |
Convenience is a key driver of recycling; removal may lower participation |
|
||
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Public dissatisfaction |
Communities may perceive removal as a reduction in service |
Communicate
reasons, benefits, and alternatives clearly |
||
|
Increased contamination |
Overloaded household bins may lead to incorrect sorting and contaminated bins |
Increase
recycling guidance and education |
||
|
Short-term cost increases |
Initial rise in enforcement or clean-up costs |
The Joint Enforcement Team (JET) and Cleansing Team will absorb any additional operational time within their working day. |
5. Financial implications
The removal of the bring sites will be delivered at no additional cost to the Council. All associated activity, including communications, signage, and site management, will be fully contained within existing Neighbourhood Services Waste & Cleansing budgets, with no requirement for supplementary funding or budget growth.
5.1 Closing these sites will not generate any direct, cashable savings, as the emptying and clearance work is already undertaken by waste and cleansing operatives as part of their existing roles. However, by closing the sites, staff who currently carry out their daily clearance will be able to redirect their time and focus toward other borough cleaning priorities.
6. Legal comments
6.1 The Council has no specific statutory duty to carry out a consultation in relation to the proposed closure of the identified bring sites.
6.2 Broader obligations under the Public Sector Equality Duty may require an impact assessment and a consultation where the proposal disproportionately affects certain groups.
6.3 Contracts associated with the bring sites (if any) may require change notices to be issued and / or variation; Legal Services must be consulted
6.4 Waste strategy and management, including recycling, is within the remit of Environment and Sustainability Committee (part 3(b) of the Constitution).
Corporate implications
7. S151 Officer comments
The S151 Officer confirms that all financial implications have been taken into account and that the recommendations are fully funded from within the current and draft 2026/2027 budget.
8. Monitoring Officer comments
The Monitoring Officer confirms that the relevant legal implications have been taken into account.
9. Procurement comments
The cost of the signage will be met from within existing budgets and is not expected to cost more than £2k.
10. Equality and Diversity
10.1 The removal of public recycling bring sites may disproportionately affect older and disabled residents, particularly those with limited mobility or without private transport.
10.2 These impacts are mitigated through the Council’s comprehensive kerbside recycling service, including assisted collections for eligible households, and through clear, regular communications.
10.3 Phased implementation, removing one site at a time, will allow residents to adjust and enable the Council to monitor and manage each location. These measures ensure recycling remains accessible to all households.
11. Sustainability/Climate Change Implications
While removing bring sites could slightly increase transport emissions for some residents, these impacts are mitigated by comprehensive kerbside recycling and assisted collections. Overall, the shift can improve operational efficiency and resource management if carefully implemented, but ongoing monitoring is needed to ensure recycling participation is not impacted.
12. Other considerations
12.1 Woodlands
Parade Site
At the Woodlands Parade site, residents of the flats above the
shops have very limited space to store bins. As a result, this
bring site currently provides a convenient facility for disposing
of waste and recycling. It is also the site most affected by
fly-tipping. The Council has engaged with the twelve affected
households to ensure that once the bring site is removed they will
have access to kerbside rubbish, recycling, and food waste
collection services, equivalent to other residents in the
borough.
12.2 The relocation of the bring site will create a need for these twelve households’ waste to be collected more frequently than other properties. This increased collection will be managed by Neighbourhood Services within existing resources, with no additional cost implications.
13. Timetable for implementation
It is proposed that the sites will be removed in the following order:-
1. Hadfield Road, Stanwell
2. White House Depot, Ashford
3. Woodlands Parade, Ashford
4. High Street, Shepperton
13.1 Subject to approval of this report, the first bring site closure is scheduled for mid-March, followed by the second site at the end of March. The second site is located directly outside the depot, which is expected to make its closure easier to manage. Special attention will be given to minimize fly-tipping during this process.
13.2 Following the first two closures, the plan is to close the third site in May and the fourth site in July, allowing adequate time to manage each location before proceeding to the next.
14. Contact
Jackie Taylor Group Head Neighbourhood Services
Background papers: There are none.
Appendices:
Appending 1 examples of fly tipping at each of the four sites.
Appendix 1
