Tidy Our Town: WNC cabinet member praises booking-only tip system as ‘a step in the right direction’

Councillor Nigel Stansfield was appointed cabinet member for environment, recycling and waste after Reform took control of West Northamptonshire Council in May.

When asked how he would sum up the first six months in his new role, Cllr Stansfield told the Chronicle & Echo: “It’s been a steep learning curve and a mixture of frustration and achievement.”

Cllr Stansfield was a parish councillor in Grange Park for a decade and he explained he took on that post as he was not happy with the appearance of where he lived. When he left the role and area five years ago, he said it looked like a “totally different place”.

“I stood to be a Reform councillor because I’m passionate about it,” said Cllr Stansfield, who represents the Parklands ward. “I’m passionate about getting this town cleaned up and getting a grip on graffiti. We’re starting to get a grip on fly tipping.”

Cllr Stansfield admitted this is a “totally different ball game” to his former role as a parish councillor, but shared the progress that has already been made in improving the way fly tips are collected.

The previous system saw collectors drive from one fly tip to another, and would ignore others along the way if they had not been instructed to collect it. The aim was to remove every reported fly tip within two days.

“They couldn’t keep up and were so far behind,” said Cllr Stansfield. “They spent more time driving around than picking the fly tipping up.”

The cabinet member explained that due to a backlog, only 34 percent of fly tips were collected within the desired two-day period.

“To me, it wasn’t acceptable,” said Cllr Stansfield. “We’ve been trialling it by area now. Certain days a week the collectors will go to certain areas, some are more than once a week.

“It won’t be the same day every week as we don’t want residents getting used to when we go as this will result in more waste. The collectors clean what they see as it was stupidity to drive past fly tips before.”

Fly tips will now be collected during these drive-bys regardless of whether they have been reported, and Cllr Stansfield said some fly tips were left so long before that they had been reported six times.

“We want residents to know that we have to send a separate van for mattresses and upholstered materials, like sofas,” said Cllr Stansfield.

“The government says that because of the fire retardant inside, once these go onto the street they become a hazardous material. It has to be collected separately to other fly tips and gets taken straight to waste transfer.”

‘The previous administration didn’t care about rubbish’

Cllr Stansfield says he has already had a lot of interaction with the Northants Litter Wombles, including going picking with them on a number of occasions.

“The Wombles are the most amazing people I’ve ever met,” he said. “They are absolute stars for the time they give up and the effort they put in, especially dragging trolleys out of lakes.

“There was a massive fly tip on Midsummer Meadows and we sent Veolia down there as we should be dealing with that. The Wombles collected 110 bags, and we collected all the mattresses and secured the area.”

Cllr Stansfield was asked if he hopes the initiatives and systems being introduced will reduce the amount of time, energy and effort needed from the Northants Litter Wombles.

“Hopefully they will be able to deal with the day-to-day mess and litter,” said Cllr Stansfield. “We are all dealing with a backlog of years and years of people not caring.

“The previous administration didn’t care about rubbish and let the streets of Northampton turn into what they have. We’re going to help tidy up now and remove what has been there for years with the help of the Wombles.”

‘It really is a step in the right direction’

A new booking-only system is being introduced across all six of West Northamptonshire’s tips in an attempt to reduce queues, ease pressure on surrounding roads, and ensure a smoother experience for residents. This will come into effect from November 3.

When asked why WNC believed now was the right time to introduce this scheme, Cllr Stansfield said: “The previous administration agreed a 15-year contract with FCC before we came into power.

“Part of that contract was the booking system as 50 percent of other areas use it, and it is better for the operator and residents.

“It will be a lot easier for people as it’s been so busy that staff haven’t had time to help visitors out, take things up the ramps and separate items that can be reused. The workload will be spread out over the seven days.

“They will arrive and come in with no queueing, and people who live in different areas of the country that already have this system say it’s great.”

Cllr Stansfield was asked for his response to the overwhelming negative feedback from this newspaper’s readers when the announcement was shared.

“We’re all very precious about our bin collections and HWRCs (Household Waste Recycling Centres), and nobody likes change,” he said. “Some change is for the good and we see this as being a good change.

“During the changeover, the waste teams will be down there and I’m taking a week off work to be there to deal with any issues. Hopefully there won’t be a lot.”

Cllr Stansfield explained that a separate company will run the booking system, and he praised it as “so easy to use”. Not only does it remember your details for next time, but it warns of heavy traffic in the area of the tip you are booked to visit and may offer a slot at a different one.

“The system gives you information about what you can and can’t take and which bins to use,” said Cllr Stansfield. “It really is a step in the right direction.”

As the slots are available in 15-minute intervals throughout each day, Cllr Stansfield was asked how many vehicles will be able to book onto each slot. He was unable to give an answer.

‘I’m really passionate about getting Northampton cleaned up’

Cllr Stansfield was asked his main hopes and aims moving forward in his cabinet member role, and what is coming for West Northamptonshire in the near future.

He first mentioned the reuse shop that is opening soon at Sixfields tip in partnership with Cynthia Spencer Hospice. All proceeds from the sale of secondhand items will help the vital charity.

WNC hopes the shop will offer residents a convenient and sustainable way to donate and purchase pre-loved items – and Cllr Stansfield described it as a “really great resource for the community and income for the charity”.

The cabinet member also shared that a graffiti removal trial is currently underway, as this issue is his “number one bugbear”.

“We do need help from the residents,” Cllr Stansfield continued. “If they see anyone graffiting, take a photo and phone the police. There are a small minority of people who go out at night and graffiti, and we need to catch these people.

“It’s very, very annoying. It’s a low level crime and it’s not fair. I’m personally not going to have it, and I’m really passionate about getting Northampton cleaned up.”

Cllr Stansfield next mentioned a government-led recycling scheme coming in April 2026, when every household in West Northamptonshire will be offered a caddy for their food waste.

There are currently 20,000 properties that do not have access to a food waste caddy, and Cllr Stansfield shared the benefits this will have for the council in reducing their bills.

It costs £140 per tonne of residual bin waste to be processed, but just £40 per tonne of food caddy waste to be processed. If more people choose to dispose of food waste separately from April 2026, the money saved from processing costs will be reinvested into other services.

‘There was a disconnect between councillors and the community’

When asked if there was anything else he would like to add, Cllr Stansfield mentioned a self-funded project that he and three fellow Reform councillors were tackling last Friday, October 10.

Cllr Stansfield explained that an area of Bailiff Street which backs onto some units is a notorious space for crime, and it was not possible to sort it out through the council as it is not their land.

“Councillor Ivan Dabbs lives in that area and sees what goes on every single day,” said Cllr Stansfield.

“Four of us are going down there to clear the area and make sure people can’t go in there. Sometimes things have to be done by the community and the council can’t do anything.”

Concluding, Cllr Stansfield said he has upheld a “very open” attitude since taking on his new roles. He invites residents to knock on his door, come in for a cup of tea and discuss local issues, which has been met with “positive feedback”.

“Reform just wants to be really involved in the community,” said Cllr Stansfield. “There was a disconnect between councillors and the community. I think that’s been lost and we’re trying to make a community. We want to make change and do something good.”