South Holland District Council has agreed to send a formal objection to Lincolnshire County Council over plans to introduce a booking system at the county’s household waste recycling centres, including the Spalding site.
What the county says and what local councillors fear
Lincolnshire County Council has signalled the system will be rolled out across all 11 household waste recycling centres. The authority argues the move will help reduce long queues and cut down on incidents of intimidation directed at staff, which it says have sometimes been triggered by frustration over waiting times.
At a full meeting of South Holland District Council on Wednesday, members voiced strong reservations. Councillors say the proposed opening hours for Spalding — listed as 08:00 to 16:00, five days a week — are too restrictive and will inconvenience many residents. They will ask the county to extend those hours and to rethink the decision to require appointments at the Spalding site.
“This is unfair to people who work,”
said Councillor Paul Barnes, who told colleagues he rarely sees queues at Spalding apart from peak periods. Councillor Andrew Woolf also warned the change could push some people towards illegal dumping if they cannot obtain a slot.
County response and evidence cited
Lincolnshire County Council officials have pushed back, with portfolio holders maintaining the service in its present form is strained. The county’s environment portfolio holder previously described the service as "creaking under the pressure that it's now facing" and said there was little alternative.
Both the county and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have told councillors they are not aware of evidence linking appointment systems with an increase in fly-tipping. County portfolio holder for corporate and environmental waste, Jim Astill, said the authority did not believe people who fly-tip typically attempt to use the tip first.
What SHDC will request
According to reporting from the Local Democracy Reporting Service, SHDC’s objection letter will specifically:
- Call for extended opening hours at Spalding Household Waste Recycling Centre beyond the proposed 08:00–16:00 weekday window.
- Ask the county to reconsider introducing a booking system at the Spalding site.
The matter follows a public consultation which attracted more than 2,000 responses, though the county has not made public a full breakdown of the replies.
| Item | Detail |
|---|---|
| Number of sites affected | 11 household waste recycling centres |
| Proposed Spalding opening hours | 08:00–16:00 (five days a week) |
| Consultation responses | More than 2,000 |
For many in South Holland, access to the tip is a routine part of managing household waste and small DIY projects. Councillors say restricting hours or requiring appointments risks creating practical difficulties for shift workers, people with limited childcare options and those without flexible transport choices.
The county maintains the changes are intended to improve safety at sites and create a fairer, more predictable service for users and staff. The next steps will be whether Lincolnshire County Council responds to SHDC’s objections and whether it will adjust opening times or the booking approach for the Spalding centre.
