Leeds prepares to open some waste recycling sites

Leeds City Council says some waste recycling centres will open - but with a booking system in operation

A city council is set to open some of its household recycling sites, using a booking system to avoid "chaos".

Leeds City Council said it was waiting for further details from the government about Covid-19 restrictions.

Then a decision on which of the sites can open willcome "shortly", it said.

It follows pressure from Conservative opposition councillors who claimed the closures could lead to "chaos once the sites reopened".

The authority said it would use a strict booking system to keep numbers at manageable levels, the Local Democracy Reporting Service says.

A council statement said the need to manage traffic queues would be "a big issue", adding that numbers would be restricted until further notice.

It said the sites would be open seven days a week from 08:00 until 20:00 BST.

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The council's executive member for environment Mohammed Rafique said: "We have been working with neighbouring councils across West Yorkshire to coordinate our planning and to meet new government guidelines that we expect to be updated later this week."

Last week, Paul Wadsworth, the Conservatives group's environment spokesman, said: "Other councils such as Sheffield have kept their recycling centres operating for residents throughout, showing it can be done.

"Yet here in Leeds we are still causing inconvenience to residents and potentially stockpiling chaos for when the recycling centres reopen."

Further details and updates regarding the reopening of a number of Household Waste and Recycling Centres, and how to book a time slot for a visit once they reopen, will be provided on www.leeds.gov.uk, through Twitter on @LCC_News and the Leeds City Council's Facebook page.