Tonight I received official confirmation about a delay in opening the household waste recycling centre at Portlethen. The target date is now Thursday 8 December.

The delay, I was told, is because the Scottish Environment Protection Agency (SEPA) requires a four or even five month period to consider a site operating licence application. The council lodged the application in June.

The delay also allows time for the recruitment and training of staff and to ensure that the site is provided with all the necessary equipment. I am assured that “the temporary service that has been in place for some time at ASDA Portlethen on Saturday mornings, will continue until then alongside the seasonal garden waste collection point at Newtonhill on Saturday mornings. As you know, this service is currently also augmented by the existing full time HWRC site available at Stonehaven.”