Calderdale Council: Professional gardeners to be allowed to use Calderdale's tips

Usually, trade waste cannot be disposed off at any of the borough’s tips but trade gardeners can now do this with the right paperwork.

The step it is not being rolled out for other trades and trade waste.

Initially they will be able to do this for free, although usage is being monitored and in the future a fee might be introduced, said cabinet member for public services and communities, Councillor Jenny Lynn (Lab, Park).

Coun Howard Blagbrough (Con, Brighouse) had asked in cabinet’s question time whether garden waste tipping for trades people could be allowed.

He said it was something he was asked about often, particularly by elderly residents.

Inquiries were also in light of there being a waiting list of 800 people for Calderdale’s green waste bin service.

“Can we not allow trade gardeners to use the tip until such a time as there are green bins available?” he asked

Coun Blagbrough included excerpts from emails he received from elderly residents including some not being in a position where they could move their own green waste, physically load it into cars, or out of cars into recycling centre skips.

Coun Lynn said discussions had taken place with waste operator Suez over the summer about the issue.

“A solution was recently agreed with Suez which should please the gardeners, albeit there will be some administration required from them,” she said.

They will be allowed access to the waste recycling centres provided they can show they are registered waste carriers and that they have a duty of care waste transfer note from the property in which the garden waste has come from – this will need to be a Calderdale address, said Coun Lynn.

“The gardeners will need to complete a duty of care note for each property they provide a service to on a yearly basis,” she said.

“This also provides reassurance to their customers that the waste is being transferred to a licensed facility and not being disposed of by any illegal means.”