Grieving man's anger over Wigan recycling centre snub

Philip Pendlebury says there’s little wonder the borough has a fly-tipping problem if recycling staff are going to be so obstructive.

Wigan Council has launched an investigation and says he should have been allowed in if he provided ID and proof that the waste was coming from a local address.

Mr Pendlebury, who lives in the Kent town of Bromley, was in Wigan to clear out the unnamed relative’s house having suffered two bereavements in as many months.

One of the simpler tasks, he thought, would be to dispose of five binbags of general rubbish at the recycling centre.

So he went to the Kirkless site at Ince.

He said: “I had the council tax notification for the property with its Wigan address, which also showed me as executor.

"I also brought a copy of the death certificate to prove this was a genuine cause.

"This is acceptable at the waste disposal scheme where I live.

“Upon arrival, I explained the situation to the official at the entrance.

"I was asked for the driving licence to confirm my Wigan address. I explained that I did not live in Wigan, but was disposing of family items.

"I was informed that I could not deposit any items without proof of residency and that it was more than his job was worth to allow me in.

"It’s unbelievable really. I read a Wigan Today article about the borough’s flytipping problems.“Does what’s happened to me not go a long way to explaining why?”

A Wigan Council spokesperson said “We are investigating this report with the site operator FCC.

“In this circumstance an individual can show their photo ID and a bill or similar showing that the waste is coming from a Wigan borough address, and they should be allowed access to the Recycling Centre”

“We send our condolences to Mr Pendlebury following his loss, we would be happy to assist him with the disposal of this waste. He can contact us on [email protected] to arrange this.”

But Mr Pendlebury said that the waste had since been disposed of in neighbouring Chorley where there had been no such difficulties.

Wigan Today has since been contacted by a man who said he was the person who spoke to Mr Pendlebury at the recycling centre.

He said: “Just showing a council tax paper that isn’t in his name isn’t proof of ID, therefore he wouldn’t be allowed on-site.

"You turn people who are not able to show ID that they are from Wigan borough.

"Those are the rules and policies from FCC.

"I’m sorry for his loss and any inconvenience to him. But the rules are stated on the website and at the gates: No ID, no entry.

"We have a very strict policy at our site.”