Walleys Quarry call for closure by Newcastle Borough Council, Newcastle Borough Council Budget

Members of Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council have voted to urge the Environment Agency (EA) to close Walleys Quarry.  Describing the odours as a ‘significant public health emergency’, councillors also voted for the Borough Council to assess its legal options and also backed a move to increase the authority’s legal ‘fighting fund’ to £300,000.  Councillors at a special meeting of the Full Council called to discuss the continuing issues with Walleys Quarry, heard that complaints about foul odours caused by emissions of hydrogen sulphide had risen steadily in the last three months – with 500 complaints in February so far. Simon Tagg, Leader of Newcastle-under-Borough Council, said: “The community is appalled that after so long this blight on our lives is still here. “The EA is the principal regulatory body for Walleys Quarry with the power to suspend operations, restrict what’s done, or require work be carried out and it should consider using its ‘Closure Notice’ powers.  The Council will continue to do all it can within its limited powers to ease the community’s suffering but we strongly call on EA to use its substantial powers to close the landfill.”

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Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council’s council tax will rise by a maximum of 8p a week for most residents.

Full Council last night approved the detailed, balanced budget proposal for 2024/25, and also backed the next phase of Newcastle’s town centre regeneration at Ryecroft, York Place and the Midway.

The council must balance its books every year and despite rising fuel and energy costs, a larger than expected pay award for staff, and increasing demand for temporary accommodation for the homeless and vulnerable, the approved budget means 19 out of every 20 residents will only pay between 5p and 8p a week extra.

The 1.99 per cent increase in the authority’s council tax means that a household classed as Band D will pay an additional £4.27 for the year, taking the overall figure to £218.69.

Measuring the council against other, comparable authorities, the Borough Council is in the top performing 25 per cent for the low cost of collecting Council Tax, processing planning applications on time and receiving low numbers of complaints.

The authority was also in the top half of councils for low waste collection costs, high recycling rates and low numbers of fly-tipping incidents.