Councillors to consider vote of no confidence in Environment Agency over Droppingwell tip saga

The site at Kimberworth was inactive for more than 20 years, but the Environment Agency issued a permit variation that paved the way for Grange Landfill Ltd to reopen it. 

Planning permission for the site dates back to 1958, which has “very few restrictions, conditions or controls,” according to the council’s website.

The EA’s permit variation — granted in March 2016 — imposed a range of conditions that must be complied with, before any deposit of waste is allowed.

These include groundwater and landfill gas monitoring requirements, the construction of engineered bunds and a system to collect and treat surface water.

An update from the Environment Agency in July 2022 stated that the site remains pre-operational, and no waste can be deposited until the EA have approved the construction of an artificial geological barrier.

Opposition councillors Ian Jones and Rob Elliott, Rotherham Democratic Party, have submitted a motion to tomorrow’s full council meeting, calling on RMBC to “pass a motion of no confidence in the Environment Agency’s handling of the site.”

Councillors will be asked to vote on the motion, which states: “Since 2016 there have been many complaints to the Environment Agency around the re-permitting of the Grange landfill site at Droppingwell.

“Despite the valiant efforts of the Droppingwell Action Group and numerous members of the public, the works carry on, without the proper level of scrutiny and regulation of the Environment Agency.

“This has led to dozens of complaints that have been escalated to stage two and several are now sitting with the office of the parliamentary ombudsmen.”