Frodsham's ward Councillors react to the news that Cheshire West and Chester Council has lodged an application to extend planning permission for Frodsham Recycling Centre.

Frodsham Conservatives are delighted to read that Cheshire West and Chester Council has finally made an application to itself to extend the temporary planning permission for Frodsham's household waste and recycling centre.

"With only 54 days to go until the last three year consent expires it's about time," says Cllr Lynn Riley. "But why are we learning of this via Frodsham Nub News and not via the established protocol of prior notification?

"I've been the ward councillor here for 17 years," Lynn continues, "and this is a first for me.

"Cheshire West has never taken short cuts through its own planning system before and this raises important questions: why leave it until the eleventh hour? Why weren't we notified and why isn't the application on the web site for all to see?

"We've been urging Cheshire West to get on with making an application but I'm confirming that no officer has contacted us about this."

"Had they bothered to talk to us," adds Cllr Chris Basey, "we would have insisted on a five-year extension for the tip.

"Given how this whole issue has been dealt with, we have no confidence that a two year extension gives Cheshire West time to do a proper job of appointing yet more consultants, doing a thorough review and having a proper and meaningful consultation with local people who use the tip.

"If a new location in the area is found we then have to go through procurement, contract renegotiation and actually building a new facility. Based on the Council's track record, I'd be concerned that this can be done in two years."

Lynn adds: "Frodsham needs some reassurance that Cheshire West is serious about the future of the tip. The importance of this facility should have been written into the strategy and it wasn't.

"It seems like the Council is just making this up as it goes along. So let's give local residents some confidence that Cheshire West is making a serious commitment by giving us another 5 years whilst all the other work to secure a better location in Frodsham starts."

Chris concludes: "As a new councillor, I'm asking questions about this planning process. We have so many local residents and businesses that have been waiting months to get their planning applications validated and a planner appointed to process their project.

"Cheshire West surely can't take shortcuts with its own applications as this just isn't fair or proper process?

Adam, local resident and chairman of the Weaver Vale Conservatives, added: "With plans for a new £40 charge for emptying our garden waste bins, the Frodsham Household Waste and Recycling Centre has never been more important.

"We are going to need a bigger and better facility and planning for this needs to be done properly, not on the fly as we are seeing at the moment."