distance wise the shrub end one is closer but time wise the st osyth one is nearer.

shrub end has queues all the time so going there isn't a pleasant experience.

This is a real shame. I hare going to the Shrub End tip. As Mottza said, there are always queues (on the weekends at least), and is such a hassle to get to.

Not only is St Osyth Recycling Centre a nice traffic-free drive, the guys there are always friendly and helpful.

Oh I so agree.  St Osyth dump...sorry that's not pc is it......Recycling Centre is a great place and this is something really worth getting up, speaking out and supporting to keep it open.  I took my elderly mum over there when she last visited me and she was so impressed by 'all those lovely helpful young men'.  I took a local journalist over there on one of our dates and he was so impressed he wrote an article about it.  To return the favour he took me on a visit to the splendid new public conveniences at Frinton.  I was well impressed especially as both places have piped music to entertain the visitors.  

This household will sorely miss the St Osyth dump if it closes.  Pondering to whom I ought to address my concern on this issue I find that our man at Westminster, one B Jenkin, has a current interest in the problems of fly-tipping.  Indeed, so deep is his concern that it is flagged on his home-page.  I can only presume that he will be worried at the prospect of our leafy lanes being littered with rubbish if the site closes.

It seems that there has been a re-think from Essex County Council. Former WTC Councillor, Cyril Liddy, has been campaigning for this.

The staff at the RC at St Martin's Farm are really something else; they even helped with getting together over a period of time the plates etc for the plate smashing at the Church Ale.

Mmm - as you were. Essex County Council has voted to close the St Osyth Recycling Centre.

And here's the letter from ECC, justifying the decision:

Dear Sir/Madam

I am writing to you regarding recycling centres for household waste (RCHW). This morning I took the decision to go ahead with the proposals that have been widely circulated and that were published within the Intention to Make a Decision on 5 October 2011.

In the last five years Essex County Council, in partnership with the Essex Waste Collection Authorities (WCAs) has invested heavily in expanding kerbside recycling collection services, including weekly collections of food waste.  This has enabled Essex to reach a recycling rate of over 50% in 2010/11 and has put us on track to surpass that achievement in the current year.  Undoubtedly this investment has changed the manner in which our residents utilise the RCHW service.  In the last few years the number and frequency of visits to the RCHW sites, as well as the amount of waste handled, has fallen as more residents start using the kerbside collection services.  

It was necessary to undertake the review that has led to this decision to ensure services continue to provide value for money, as well as meeting local needs and in the context of fall in demand.  The review considered both the coverage provided by the current network of 23 RCHW sites and the throughput, capacity and value for money provided by these sites.

One key service change is set to be a reduction in the number of RCHW sites from 23 to 21.  One of the sites is the High Ongar Site located on Mill Lane, the other being located in Colchester Road, St Osyth.  Both of these sites were identified for closure on the basis of low and falling tonnage throughput and relative close proximity to neighbouring sites, which have capacity to handle additional visitors.  In the case of the High Ongar RCHW the kerbside collection services provided by Epping Forest District Council has led to reduction in tonnage throughput at this site of over 20% in the last four years - a reduction which is likely to continue when Brentwood Borough Council commences its new services later this year.  In addition, the High Ongar site is only 6 miles (13 minutes drive) from the larger facility provided by ECC at Coxtie Green. With regard to the St Osyth site, this has high operating costs and has had a fall in throughput by circa 16% compared with three years ago. Its proximity to the recycling centre in Rush Green, Clacton is four miles, this site has capacity to handle all of the waste currently taken to the St Osyth site.

The detailed schedule for the implementation of these changes will be finalised with our contractors over the coming few days and will be advertised on site and in the local areas. It is our intention at present to implement changes by the beginning of December.

Although consultation with elected members and members of the public was not statutory, I believed that gaining a broad and a local insight into this proposal was very important. All district, borough, town and parish councils, Essex County Council Members and Members of Parliament were informed in mid-July. I discussed proposed site closures at meetings with all the parish councils in the affected areas. Views were welcomed from these and from members of the public and have been fully considered by myself and officers in deciding the way forward.

As part of the development of the proposals, a formal 13 week consultation was entered into with recycling centre staff, to ensure their views and comments were taken into account and any impact was minimised.

From the consultation with staff and in hearing the views of elected members and members of the public a number of concerns were highlighted. Please see the published intention and the final published decision on Essex County Council’s website at:

http://78.136.39.196/essexcmis5/Decisions/tabid/78/ctl/ViewCMIS_DecisionDetails/mid/422/Id/4807/Default.aspx 

Within the decision document I have considered and detailed people’s concerns regarding the decision, and how these can be mitigated.

A main concern amongst the public was the possibility of fly tipping where sites are closed. Although the experience of the closure of Shalford recycling centre showed no increase, I can assure you that there are appropriate levels of communication, monitoring and enforcement to tackle any problems that do arise in this instance. For the two sites that are now due to shut, there will be operatives on the gate to redirect users. We will also be working with local district councils to ensure fly tipped items are cleared away quickly and will make use of out Regulatory Services partnership to undertake monitoring and enforce action against those who continue to fly tip.

I hope the above information is useful to you.

Yours Sincerely

Cllr Kevin Bentley

Cabinet Member for Economic Development, Waste & Recycling

The link offered in the letter returns a 'Page cannot be found'...
But this one:
http://cmis.essexcc.gov.uk/essexcmis5/Decisions/tabid/78/ctl/ViewCMIS_DecisionDetails/mid/422/Id/4807/Default.aspx
seems to get to the right place.

''As part of the development of the proposals, a formal 13 week consultation was entered into with recycling centre staff, to ensure their views and comments were taken into account and any impact was minimised.''

How do you minimise the impact of losing your job, income and maybe your home ?

1 Rely on your savings

2 Apply for job seekers allowence

3 (Are there any other options to 'minimise any impact')

Did the recycling centre close in the end? Or is it still open?

I've got a car fulls worth of rubbish to get rid of and don't to have to go to Shrub End if I can help if.

Yes it closed on 8th January. I know its further but Clacton is much better than Shrub End.

Thanks for letting me know. That is such a shame. When I discovered the St Osyth Recycling Centre a few years ago it made such a nice change from traipsing all the way to Shrub End.