Issue - meetings

This item includes a supplementary report.

That Cabinet:

(1)Notes that work to date by Council officers, supported by the efforts of other agencies, has ruled out the existence of any credible source of the borough odour problem other than Walleys Quarry, and once again calls on the operator of Walleys Quarry to accept its role in this issue and work to resolve it.

(2) Notes that a letter before action has been served on Walleys Quarry Ltd informing them of the Councils work regarding statutory nuisance and affording them the opportunity to provide to this Council any information to satisfy it that the company has an effective action plan and acceptable timeline in place to prevent the emission of regular, persistent and offensive odours detectable beyond the site boundary.

(3) Notes that any information received from Walleys Quarry Ltd to the letter before action will be considered after the expiry of the 14 day period for response, to inform the subsequent decision on the appropriateness of the Council serving a statutory abatement notice.

(4) Agrees that the Council continues to work with and support multi agency partner organisations in order to investigate and resolve the odour issues.

(5) Welcomes the proposal put forward by Councillor Derrick Huckfield and requests officers to evaluate the approach with the Environment Agency to inform future actions.

(6) Requests that officers prepare with Staffordshire County Council a letter to residents in affected areas highlighting the work of the two Councils

(7) Asks officers to investigate, in consultation with the portfolio holder, the case for establishing an emergency accommodation scheme for those with underlying health conditions in areas most affected by hydrogen sulphide emissions.

(8) Invites the Health, Wellbeing and Partnerships Scrutiny Committee to discuss the health issues arising from the gas odours from Walleys Quarry.

Cabinet considered a report on Walley’s Quarry.  The report outlined the background to the odour issues that had been experienced for a number of years around the vicinity of the Quarry site.

Since February 2021 there had been a step change in multi-agency working following a spike in complaints to both the Borough Council and Environment Agency.  The council had also approved a specific budget of £50,000 to enable specialist advice to be secured and targeted work to take place.

The report set out the latest position regarding the odours, the action to regulate the site and actions being taken by the council including the serving of a letter before action on Walleys Quarry Ltd. 

Resolved: That Cabinet:

(1)Notes that work to date by Council officers, supported by the efforts of other agencies, has ruled out the existence of any credible source of the borough odour problem other than Walleys Quarry, and once again calls on the operator of Walleys Quarry to accept its role in this issue and work to resolve it.

(2) Notes that a letter before action has been served on Walleys Quarry Ltd informing them of the Councils work regarding statutory nuisance and affording them the opportunity to provide to this Council any information to satisfy it that the company has an effective action plan and acceptable timeline in place to prevent the emission of regular, persistent and offensive odours detectable beyond the site boundary.

(3) Notes that any information received from Walleys Quarry Ltd to the letter before action will be considered after the expiry of the 14 day period for response, to inform the subsequent decision on the appropriateness of the Council serving a statutory abatement notice.

(4) Agrees that the Council continues to work with and support multi agency partner organisations in order to investigate and resolve the odour issues.

(5) Welcomes the proposal put forward by Councillor Derrick Huckfield and requests officers to evaluate the approach with the Environment Agency to inform future actions.

(6) Requests that officers prepare with Staffordshire County Council a letter to residents in affected areas highlighting the work of the two Councils

(7) Asks officers to investigate, in consultation with the portfolio holder, the case for establishing an emergency accommodation scheme for those with underlying health conditions in areas most affected by hydrogen sulphide emissions.

(8) Invites the Health, Wellbeing and Partnerships Scrutiny Committee to discuss the health issues arising from the gas odours from Walleys Quarry.