A row over the potential closure of five recycling centres across the Mid Ulster District Council Area has rumbled on as confusion reigns as to the future of the dump sites.
Proposed cost savings were approved last week by councillors alongside a 7.3% rise in domestic rates in the area.
Among the cost saving plans proposed by council officers were the closures of five dumps - Coalisland, Fivemiletown, Draperstown, Castledawson and Moneymore.
READ MORE: Mid Ulster sees rate rise of more than 7% as services reduced
After anger from the local community in Coalisland in response to the proposed closure of its recycling centre, Sinn Féin councillor Niamh Doris said this week the proposals were simply ‘suggestions’ from council officers and called for anyone ‘spreading misinformation’ to stop.
Sinn Féin had proposed the 7.3% rates rise at a special council meeting on the matter last week, which was approved with support from the SDLP.
“I have been made aware that there is a narrative out in the community that Coalisland dump is closing. This is not the case,” Cllr Doris said in a social media post.
“Council officers made some suggestions of introducing car parking charges in Cookstown, closing all recycling centres (while retaining jobs) except for Cookstown, Dungannon and Magherafelt.
“I was down to the recycling centres during Covid and in Dungannon I seen first hand the overspill. Closing Coalisland would be a disaster.
“I can assure you that Sinn Féin is committed to keeping these services open.”
However, comments from the council’s deputy chief executive Anne-Marie Campbell at a meeting of its Environment Committee this week suggest that plans are indeed in place to close the centres.
The council officer said the rates rise was agreed by councillors alongside the cost-saving proposals.
“Those decisions have been made, what we have to look at now is how we implement this going forward,” Campbell said.
Independent councillor for the area Dan Kerr has established a ‘Save Our Skip’ campaign in an attempt to prevent closure of the Derry Road facility.
“We will be organising actions to show the powers that be that the local community is opposed to cuts to our services,” Cllr Kerr said.
“I know people are angry, but let's turn that anger into action and fight for our local recycling centre.
“With the recent decision to close down our local recycling centre by council and rubber-stamped by the establishment parties I've been contacted by many local residents expressing anger, have seen opposition expressed by residents on social media.
“The general feeling is this needs to be reversed.”
A spokesperson for Mid Ulster District Council said: "When Mid Ulster District Council set its rate on Monday 6 February, one of the many cost savings that was proposed was a rationalisation of waste recycling centres.
"No definitive dates have been set for this, as a detailed implementation plan and consultation with staff affected needs to happen.
"At this week’s Environment Committee, it was agreed that a cross-party working group be set up to ensure minimal impact on ratepayers."
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