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New Cotgrave Recycling Centre plans paused – former Tory says it ‘breaks manifesto pledge’

The Conservative administration on Nottinghamshire County Council was accused of breaking an election manifesto pledge after confirming it has paused plans for a new recycling centre in Rushcliffe.

The authority approved initial plans to create the new recycling centre, in Cotgrave, in October 2020.

However, no planning application has been put forward to progress the plans.

Now it has been confirmed plans have been put on hold while the council awaits the outcome of a national ‘resources and waste strategy’, expected to change the type and amount of waste disposed both at kerbside and at recycling centres.

The confirmation came during the full council meeting on Thursday, 25 November, with former Conservative Councillor Francis Purdue-Horan, now a member of the Independent Alliance, questioning the administration on a lack of progress.

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He asked for an update and was told the plans are now paused, with a strategic review into Nottinghamshire’s recycling centres to be conducted and a report due before the Transport and Environment Committee next year.

Commenting following the confirmation, Cllr Purdue-Horan accused his former Conservative colleagues of breaking their 2017 election manifesto pledge – which helped to get him elected in Bingham East.

He said: “The Conservative Group laid out its intentions quite clearly when it forced the then-Labour administration to defend its decision to close Langar [Recycling Centre] in 2014, and the votes were very close.


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“It became a key manifesto commitment in the following election in 2017 and was a key plank of my platform when I was elected in August 2016.

“Would Cllr [Mike] Adams agree with me that residents of Rushcliffe, particularly in my division, have been extremely let down, with firm promises in a manifesto that have clearly been abandoned?”

In response, Cllr Adams (Con), vice-chairman of the transport and environment committee, said part of the shifted focus is the council moving alongside changes to national policies.

He said: “Residents of Nottinghamshire would expect us to move with the times, and when changes happen in the national strategy, they would expect us not to be in the background running behind.

“The key thing here is we’re in a review period, we will ensure future provision matches the National Resources and Waste Strategy, and as such we will look to improve the provision across the county and not diminish it.

“This could include the creation of waste recycling super-centres, which would enable us to provide enhanced services from the best locations for each area.

“That will be in the best interests of Nottinghamshire and in line with the national waste strategy.”

Responding to Cllr Purdue-Horan’s initial question, Cllr Adams said the Conservative administration is “assessing its priorities” to best use available funding.

An upcoming Government act, brought forward in line with the National Resources and Waste Strategy, will influence the council’s forward planning and its upcoming review into its own resources.

“Once that review is complete,” Cllr Adams adds, “further proposals to improve recycling centres in the county will be brought forward.”

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