WASTE bosses could be told they can re-open Buckinghamshire’s tips in the next few days.

All nine of the county’s recycling centres have been closed since March after social distancing rules were enforced but chiefs have been working "behind the scenes" to get five of them ready for use. 

READ MORE: Shipping container restaurant planned for shopping centre

Speaking at a Buckinghamshire Council cabinet meeting on Thursday, April 28, councillor Bill Chapple said: "We are working behind the scenes to prepare five of our most suitable household waste sites for re-opening. 

"Sites will look and operate differently to keep to social distancing requirements. 

"We will be adopting a supermarket-style of operation with strict controls and a number of people entering the site at any one time and marked off areas to maintain two-metre gaps."

The five sites bosses hope to re-open are:

  • Amersham - London Road East, HP7 9DT
  • Beaconsfield - A40 London Road, Lower Pyebushes, HP9 2XB
  • Buckingham  - Yonder Slade, Buckingham Industrial Park, MK18 1RZ
  • Aston Clinton - College Road North, HP22 5EZ
  • High Wycombe - High Heavens, Clay Lane, Booker, SL7 3DJ

On Tuesday, April 28, Secretary of State for local government Robert Jenrick announced he was asking councils to organise the opening of waste collection sites again.

However, Buckinghamshire Council leader Martin Tett wrote on social media he is waiting for clearance from the Home Office before bosses say yes to re-opening five of Bucks’ tips.

Speaking to the Bucks Free Press, he said: “I want to open the tips, candidly. I really want to open the tips.

“I think they are a frontline service and I think they should be open.

“I’ve had a week of discussions with the police and crime commissioner, and eventually I got it in writing at the end of last week that the police do not regard trips to waste sites as an essential journey.

“Therefore, the police have said if they stop somebody with a car full of waste on their way to a waste site there is a possibility they will fine them and send them home.

READ MORE: What life is like inside Bucks care homes during coronavirus crisis

“I can’t be in a position either where I’m putting residents in that position or I’m putting the police in that position where they’re being put in conflict with the public.”

Cllr Tett said hesitation to open the sites is coming from conflicting advice between government departments including DEFRA, the office for communities and local government and the Home Office.

Bucks Free Press:

In recent weeks residents have complained about an increase in fly-tipping locally.

Some suggested this issue has become more prevalent because of the closure of the tips.

The council nodded through new plans to fine fly-tippers caught dumping their waste in Bucks last week after Cllr Tett described the act as “dirty” and “anti-social”.

Despite the delay in re-opening Bucks’ tips, the council leader is optimistic the centres will be ready to use again soon.

READ MORE: Council tax reduction planned for thousands of Bucks taxpayers

He added: “Our MPs have been brilliant on this issue and they tell me we should hear more on this within the week, hopefully before Friday, that these are acceptable journeys.

“And then we’re ready to go. It would probably take us realistically three days [to set up].

“Once we know when, we need to get staff in place, get signs put up and put traffic cones up so we don’t have chaos at the gates.”