Hartlepool recycling centre users facing bans if they fail to honour advance bookings

Hartlepool Borough Council chiefs provided the update on the operation of the Household Waste Recycling Centre, in Burn Road, after it moved to a pre-booked permit system in 2020.

The latest meeting of the council’s neighbourhood services committee heard the majority of residents are able to get “same day bookings”.

Tony Hanson, director of neighbourhoods and regulatory services, said they have received more positive feedback than “about any other service” they operate since the introduction of the booking system.

He said: “The appreciation we get from those who do use it would suggest that the majority of people are quite happy with the service and it works well, there will always be a small minority who will not be happy with it.

“The reduction in abuse to our staff on site is a lot better than what we had before too.”

In 2021-22, there were 80,463 bookings or visits made, with 68,828 undertaken by self-service and 11,635 via the council’s contact centre, meaning 85% of bookings were online.

Yet concerns were raised by council officers over the number of “no shows”, which accounted for 17% of bookings between April to October this year.

Kieran Bostock, assistant director for place management, said steps are being taken to try and reduce the issue although they may have to take stronger action.

He said: “If this continues to fail then I think we’ll probably have to come down on a harder line and kind of operate a three strikes and you’re out policy if you’re regularly booking slots and not showing up.”