Tips to open seven days a week under new contract

Five tips will be open seven days a week by Christmas, a new council administration has said.

The household waste recycling centres at Brighouse, Halifax, Elland, Sowerby Bridge and Todmorden had each been closed for one or two days a week in a bid to balance Calderdale Council's budget under Labour.

Partial closures were agreed as an alternative to closing the Elland site completely.

However, the new Reform-led cabinet said the decision would be reversed and a new company would take over the waste contract.

Senior councillors said this had been agreed as part of Calderdale Council's long-planned transition of waste services and on 1 August, Calderdale Norse Ltd would over the contract from current operator Suez.

Cabinet member for public services, Peter Hunt, added: "One of the most frequent complaints we've heard from residents is that the tips aren't open at convenient times and I understand their frustration.

"That's why I am delighted by the announcement at cabinet that all the waste and recycling centres will be returning to seven-day openings at no cost additional to council taxpayers.

"The changes will be introduced by the end of the year and ahead of the Christmas and New Year period, which we know are one of the busiest times; keep an eye on our website for the latest information."

According to the Local Democracy Reporting Service, 168 staff are expected to transfer to the new company and residents should see little immediate change to service delivery.

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