Brechin has been told to wait a little longer after its plea for a level playing field over the re-opening of Angus recycling centres next week.
Angus Council has said the smaller sites at Brechin, Carnoustie and Kirriemuir will re-open as soon as health and safety guidance and staffing resources permit but Brechin Community Council had urged the authority to bring the burgh in line with the others.
Community council chairwoman Jill Scott said: “Our residents face the same challenges as other residents in Angus. There is much anxiety at present and the re-opening would avoid travelling to other towns and hopefully reduce the incidents of fly-tipping.
“As an added request we ask that general waste be included in the service provision. We realise this is a big ask but on the basis of fairness and equality this would be warmly welcomed by the community.
“It is our concern that people travelling to dispose of waste may choose to shop in other towns at the same time, it is important that we stay as local as possible to continue to suppress the spread of Covid-19.”
An Angus Council spokesperson said: “We will re-open Brechin, Carnoustie and Kirriemuir when it is safe to do so, when staffing resources allow us to, and always in line with national guidelines.
“But for now, our focus is on the safe re-opening of Arbroath, Forfar, Monifieth and Montrose.
“The opening of these four recycling centres does not signal a return to normal – operations will be significantly restricted and our appeal to householders is to only attend at these centres if absolutely necessary.
“Space at Brechin, Carnoustie and Kirriemuir centres is more limited and restricts the number of vehicles we can safely allow on site at any one time while trying to ensure physical distancing requirements.
“Traffic management and queuing vehicles on surrounding roads outwith these centres is also more challenging. Therefore, in the current situation, they remain closed while we focus our staff resource on the safe reopening of the four other centres.”
Meanwhile, Riverside and Baldovie recycling centres in Dundee will also re-open to the public on a restricted basis from Monday, under similarly strict controls and to city council residents only.
No business waste will be accepted at the sites.
General and garden waste, wood, metals, rubble, fridges and freezers, and gas cylinders and bottles will be allowed, but cardboard, large and small electricals, plastics, turf, batteries, fluorescent tubes, vegetable and waste oils, glass and textiles cannot be accepted under the restricted capacity.
The Dundee sites will initially be open from 9am to 4pm, seven days a week.
