Decision details

Sheffield’s five Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) are currently operating under increased opening times, with all sites open 7 days a week until 30^th September 2021.  On 1^st October the sites will change to their normal Winter opening times (9.30am to 3.30pm) and open/closed days, a reduction in opening times of 48 hours per week.

We are proposing to extend the current HWRC 7 day opening for a further month.  This will see all five HWRCs remain open 7 days a week until the end of October 2021, rather than 30^th September as per the current agreement. 

The recommendation will increase site availability during October when garden waste is still produced in reasonable volumes and will mitigate against increased site demand associated with the risk of suspensions of the garden waste collection service due to the impact of Covid-19 on the Veolia workforce. 

That the Executive Director of Place:

1.    Approves the recommendation to extend the current HWRC 7 day opening until 31st October 2021.

2.    Approves the Council issuing a notice of change to Veolia to reflect the change of opening hours.

The recommendation is to extend the current HWRC 7 day opening for a further month.  This will see all five HWRCs remain open 7 days a week until 31st October 2021, rather than 30^th September as per the current agreement. 

The recommendation will increase site availability during October when garden waste is still produced in reasonable volumes, and will mitigate against increased site demand associated with the risk of further suspensions of the garden waste collection service due to the impact of Covid-19 on the Veolia workforce. 

It is anticipated from the end of October that demand for the sites will significantly reduce during the Winter period and there will be no need to operate increased opening times. 

In making the recommendation, alternative options were considered including;

i)                Do nothing and simply revert to the existing winter opening hours of the Household Waste Recycling Centres and standard opening days

Although zero cost, this option has been rejected on the basis that this option will reduce site opening times by 48 hours when compared to present, at a time when issues relating to queuing whilst reduced, are still being seen.  Further disruption to services caused by the impact of COVID-19 Veolia’s workforce will pose further pressure on site demand.  

ii)               Operate 7 day opening and extend the summer opening times (9.30 am to 5.30pm) throughout October.

Although this option provides an additional 106 hours of opening times when compared to the standard Winter opening hours, this option has been rejected as the recommended option provides a better balance between cost and the need for additional hours.  The recommended option is a lower cost option, at £34,777 compared to £102,398, whilst still delivering an additional 36 hours of opening times which is expected to be sufficient to meet site demand during October.