Pressure on Environment Agency over Droppingwell tip confusion

The council has logged a complaint with the Parliamentary and Health Service Ombudsman over the Environment Agency’s stance on the controversial Droppingwell tip, which closed years ago.

Council leader Chris Read said he wants “a straight answer to a straight question”.

It has planning permission dating from the 1950s but there are complex technicalities about the monitoring of a borehole close to the site, which could be of key importance to whether or not the tip is brought back into use.

Rotherham Council has accused the agency of issuing conflicting advice.

Their complaint comes after attempts to find a solution have failed.

Cllr Read said: “Twice over the last few years, councillors have declared no confidence in the Environment Agency, and yet still we find ourselves in the bizarre position where the Agency claims a regulatory test is both necessary and unnecessary at the same time, refuses to acknowledge that that is what they have done, or to take action to require the tip operator to comply with the conditions in its licence.”

If the use of the borehole, on council land, was a precondition to re-opening the tip, they would not allow it, he said.

“Now it’s time we got a straight answer to a straight question.”

The complaint alleges failures, undermining public confidence and potentially leaving residents expose to future risks.

MP Sarah Champion, supports the complaint, and said: “I’ve consistently opposed the reopening of the tip at Droppingwell and am deeply concerned that it has been given the go ahead in the face of staunch opposition from the local community, local businesses, elected councillors, RMBC and myself as the Member of Parliament.

“The local community are understandably sceptical about the approach taken by Environment Agency.

“Their confidence has been damaged still further by the EA’s contradictory statements to RMBC.

“The Agency’s responses have been desperately poor and RMBC have been left with no alternative but to complain to the Ombudsman.”

The council wants the agency to admit responsibility for a change in position and to first apologise, then explain how it proposes to remedy the situation.

The Environment Agency has been approached for comment.