Cllr Paul Thomas - Priorslee

15/08/2026

Central Park and Dust control at the Avant and Miller sites:

I’ve previously commented on other posts about the proposed location of Central Park and the associated public open space, particularly because there had been concerns that the park was not going to be completed.

Almost two weeks ago, I met with the Council’s Principal Planning Officer on site early on a Monday morning to clarify the proposed location, as it appeared to differ from what had been discussed during a previous site visit with Avant.

The site location plan and marked-up version attached (yellow zigzag) show the proposed location of Central Park. Essentially, it sits between Avant’s two development phases, widening out towards the sports pitches, with a footpath running through to the community building.

The design and routing of the access footpath from George Lees Avenue and William Venables Drive has still to be agreed, as the initial proposals were considered unsuitable for a number of reasons.

Construction dust
Although the visit was primarily focused on Central Park, I also separately raised the ongoing issue of unacceptable dust plumes being created by construction equipment with the site managers responsible for both sides of the Miller developments at Thomas Blakemore Way and George Lees Avenue, as well as the Avant site manager.

Following a number of previous complaints, and actions agreed with the Council’s Highways Engineers to minimise dust as far as reasonably practicable given the hot and dry conditions, it was disappointing to see large plumes of dust still being generated despite those agreed measures being expected to be implemented continuously.

The Avant site was not an issue. However, I expressed concern that areas on both sides of the Miller site had not been adequately wetted before work commenced that Monday morning. Given the previous concerns and agreed actions, this was unacceptable and, in my view, demonstrated a reactive rather than proactive approach to managing the problem.

Both site managers responded immediately by diverting water bowsers to the affected areas. I also raised my concerns directly with the Miller Contracts Manager, who has always responded positively to issues I have previously raised, as well as with the Council’s Highways Engineers and Planning Enforcement, who have been monitoring compliance.

It is important to note that failure to adequately implement dust-control measures could ultimately result in a stop order being issued, which would have serious implications, as construction could potentially be prevented for 28 days.

A number of actions have subsequently been agreed:

• All active areas of the site will be continuously wetted prior to construction activity.

• Roads will be swept frequently, but wetted beforehand, as simply sweeping dry roads was actually creating additional dust.

• A dust-monitoring device, costing around £10,000, will be purchased and installed on an appropriate lamppost.

• The Council’s Highways Engineers will regularly monitor the site to ensure compliance.

Hopefully, these measures will help minimise the dust problems that have been reported and, most importantly, allow residents to enjoy their homes and the surrounding environment without having to deal with excessive dust.

Apologies for adding the dust issue to this post, but given the concerns raised by residents and the expectation that action needed to be urgently taken, I thought it was important to provide an update.

13/08/2026

Congratulations to everyone receiving their A Level results today. 🎓

Whatever results you have achieved, you should be proud of the hard work, commitment and determination that got you to this point.

For some, today will be the start of an exciting new chapter at university, college, an apprenticeship or in employment. For others, the results may not have been what you hoped for — but please remember that one set of results does not define your future or your potential.

There are many different routes to success, and sometimes the path we take is different from the one we originally planned.

Enjoy your achievement, be proud of how far you’ve come, and look forward to the opportunities that lie ahead.

Congratulations to you all — and to the families, teachers and everyone else who supported you along the way. 👏🎓

13/08/2026

Play area update Teece Drive, Gatcombe Way and the Flash.

Following previous discussions with the Council’s Play and Recreation Infrastructure Officer, I wanted to provide residents with an update on the three sites and the issues that are being addressed.

📍 Teece Drive

A number of issues have been identified within the play area, including several loose pin kerbs, with some sections lifting completely. This has also impacted the adjacent wet-pour surfacing, which is beginning to lift in places.

During investigations, some old posts and foundations were uncovered beneath the site, which have now been removed.

A claim has been raised with the supplier which may take some time to resolve. The Council will continue to pursue a satisfactory outcome and i will keep residents updated as this progresses.

📍 Gatcombe Way
For over a year, the Council has been working closely with the manufacturer of the inclusive carousel to resolve a number of ongoing issues.

The carousel had been prone to collecting standing water, which washed grease from the castor bearings and led to failures. The flooring had also been warping, creating a potential entrapment risk, resulting in the equipment being isolated for an extended period.

Working with the manufacturer’s design team, the Council officer has helped develop a solution to address these issues.

This has resulted in the first new-generation inclusive carousel of its kind in the UK, incorporating an improved drainage system integrated with the surrounding wet-pour surfacing, redesigned flooring, and upgraded castors.

The performance will be closely monitored on behalf of the manufacturer, and feedback from residents and users would be very welcome.

🌳 The Flash

The Council has recently completed the installation of 28 tonnes of loose-fill bark surfacing at The Flash.

This forms part of ongoing work to improve and maintain local facilities and open spaces for residents to enjoy.

13/08/2026

Visit to Hortonwood Household Recycling Centre ♻️

I was invited by Veolia’s Area ECO Manager for Telford & Wrekin, Birmingham and Shropshire to visit the Hortonwood Household Recycling Centre and see first-hand what happens to the different materials we dispose of.

It was a really interesting and informative visit, following the process from the initial separation of materials through to their onward destination — whether for incineration, reuse or recycling. Recyclable materials are ultimately transferred to Wolverhampton for final sorting into the various categories.

A number of important issues were discussed, including:

🔹 The difficulty of identifying which plastics can actually be recycled through the current system, particularly where products carry a recycling logo but cannot be processed through our current recycling route.

🔹 Plastic plant pots and trays are not currently recyclable, despite the brochure showing containers that could easily be mistaken for plant trays. This will be clarified when the brochure is next updated.

🔹 Drinks cartons may look like cardboard, but they are actually multi-layer laminate composites and should be placed in the purple bin.

🔹 The serious fire risk posed by lithium batteries being placed in household waste and subsequently entering collection vehicles.

🔹 The potential danger of pressurised containers, such as nitrous oxide canisters, entering the household waste stream, with the risk of explosions.

🔹 The amount of non-recyclable material being placed in purple bins, including paper and cardboard, plastic bags, films, coat hangers and plant trays, which contaminate otherwise recyclable material. Other contaminants include….. nappies and other rubbish……😮

We also discussed the importance of recycling — not only to allow materials to be reused in the manufacture of new products, but also the role that residual waste can play in generating energy for the grid.

One thing that really stood out was how clean and well-organised the site was, and everyone in the team made me feel very welcome. It was also great to see some familiar faces from the former SITA operation at Redhill.

A big thank you to the Veolia team for taking the time to show me around and explain the process. It certainly gave me a much better understanding of what happens to our waste once it leaves our homes — and just how important it is that we put the right things in the right bin.

03/08/2026

Woodhouse Lane Update:
Summary of discussions with the Council:

-The Council recognises the frustration of residents and the importance of delivering the pedestrian and cycle link.
- The issue remains a high priority, with ongoing discussions between the Council, developers and Planning Enforcement.
- Although there has been no visible physical progress, discussions have generated new options for delivering the route.
- Formal enforcement remains an option, but there are concerns it could actually delay delivery.
-Third-party land and legal issues involving neighbouring residents may need to be resolved.
- Enforcement would be based on the originally approved scheme, which may no longer be the most practical solution because of ground-level and site constraints that have since emerged.
- A recent survey identified different ground levels, causing a setback to what had appeared to be positive progress.
-The Council is considering whether the route could be delivered in phases, with the first section prioritised to provide an initial connection as soon as possible.
- Pursuing enforcement of the full original scheme could lead to legal challenges and further delays.
- The Council is waiting for feedback from both developers this week following recent discussions.
- Once that feedback is received, the Council will assess the developers’ commitment and decide whether formal enforcement or further escalation is necessary.
- The overall message is that the Council remains committed to finding a solution and will continue to pursue the matter as a priority.

03/08/2026

REDHILL LANDFILL UPDATE

We recently met with officers from Telford & Wrekin Council (TWC) and the Environment Agency (EA). It took time to arrange a meeting that everyone could attend, but it was important to have all the key organisations around the table.

It was a lengthy meeting covering a lot of detail, so this is a longer update than usual. We want residents to have as much information as possible.

Our message was clear: the ongoing odour and nuisance affecting Priorslee and Muxton is unacceptable, and we continue to press for the site to stop accepting new waste as soon as possible.

Environment Agency scrutiny
The EA told us it has carried out 71 inspections of Redhill between January 2022 and March 2026, including 34 unannounced visits. By comparison, most landfill sites are inspected only 3 times a year, highlighting the level of concern surrounding Redhill.
These inspections resulted in 8 Compliance Assessment Reports (CARs) recording 16 permit breaches, five of which related to odour.

A breach does not automatically result in formal enforcement action. Operators are normally given 42 days to address issues. The EA said the operator has cooperated with its requirements, installing additional gas wells and monitoring points where requested.

Why has the problem become so much worse?
One of the biggest questions remains unanswered: why has a site that operated for around 30 years become such a problem only in the last few years?
No single explanation was given. Instead, the EA suggested it is likely to be a combination of factors, including:
• more recyclable material being removed before disposal
• waste being shredded differently
• changing weather and atmospheric conditions
• housing being built closer to the landfill.

How much waste is going in?
Waste is measured in both tonnes and cubic metres, making comparisons difficult.

In 2025, 145,000 tonnes of waste was deposited leaving a void space left at the end of 2025 of 151,339 cubic metres.

Residents will remember planning permission was granted to raise the landfill by five metres, and we questioned how this relates to the site's remaining capacity and the amount of waste still being accepted.

What happens next?
The current planning permission expires in December 2030. Many residents hope the existing landfill cells will be filled before then, allowing the site to stop accepting waste and move solely to gas extraction.
We again asked whether previously filled cells could be reopened and topped up once waste has decomposed and created additional space.
The answer was yes.

That raises another concern. Reopening older cells would require removing the temporary cap that helps contain odours. We asked how odour would be controlled during that process.
We did not receive a clear answer.
In our view, there is a real risk that the situation could get worse before it gets better unless robust controls are put in place.

Disappointing silence
Four Labour councillors attended the briefing, including two Cabinet members.
Despite residents in their wards also being affected, none of them asked a question or raised concerns about the landfill.

What we've done
• Raised the issue repeatedly at Full Council through questions and motions.
• Kept Redhill on the Environment Scrutiny Committee agenda.
• Continued to highlight residents' concerns through local media and radio.
• Pressed for permanent odour and gas monitoring around surrounding communities, rather than relying on spot checks.
• Asked TWC Planning to confirm the total amount of waste permitted under the current planning consent.
• Requested copies of the EA's Compliance Assessment Reports (CARs).
• Asked TWC to disclose income received from the landfill operator and explain how those funds are being spent.
• Arranged the next briefing with the EA and TWC for 8 October 2026.

What you can do
Please continue reporting odours and other issues to the Environment Agency. Every report helps build the evidence.
Report online: https://www.gov.uk/report-smell?fbclid=IwY2xjawTcln1wZG9mBWV4dG4DYWVtAjEwAGJyaWQRMWRkODBESE01TTZuSUZYTlBzcnRjBmFwcF9pZBAyMjIwMzkxNzg4MjAwODkyAAEeLEOIuArfdoX5ogr7ujY7QHMKCjC0nLClK3uKKcTBqgciTMmls8C9p8IpE_A_aem_SzlSxnugW_f_zJagtivNjQ
Environment Agency Incident Hotline (24 hours): 0800 80 70 60

Report nuisance smells from industrial sites, farms, waste management centres and large businesses in England.

14/07/2026

Landfill Management in Telford & Wrekin

I am disappointed that the media report on Landfill Management in Telford & Wrekin which was a specific agenda item, discussed at the Environment Scrutiny Committee meeting July 8th did not accurately reflect the concerns I raised during the Council’s presentation on the ongoing odour issues affecting residents living around the Granville landfill site.

During the meeting, Council officers advised that the Environment Agency (EA), as the regulator responsible for the site, had undertaken 71 visits between January 2022 and the end of March 2026, and 8 breaches were recorded.
While this information was welcome, no explanation was provided as to the nature of those breaches or why they did not result in the Environment Agency issuing a statutory enforcement notice.

I questioned whether the majority of these visits had been undertaken in response to complaints from residents rather than as part of a proactive inspection programme. If inspections are predominantly reactive, it raises legitimate concerns about how confidence can be maintained that the operator is consistently complying with the conditions of its environmental permit.

Given the transient nature of the odour, it is often the case that by the time Environment Agency officers arrive, the smell has dissipated. I therefore asked whether permit breaches are identified through investigations into site operations and working practices rather than by witnessing the odour itself, and requested greater clarity on how those investigations are conducted.

I also asked for information on the amount of waste, measured in tonnes, that has already been deposited at the site and the remaining permitted capacity. This is an important question for local residents. If only a relatively small amount of waste remains to be deposited, it would provide some reassurance that landfill operations may conclude well before the site’s current end date of 2030.

A further concern relates to the capped landfill cells. As waste naturally decomposes and settles over time, I asked whether these cells may need to be reopened to accommodate settlement and, if so, whether that process could result in further odour escaping into the surrounding area.

Unfortunately, Council officers were unable to answer these questions and repeatedly advised that they should be directed to the Environment Agency. While the Agency had been invited to attend the meeting, no representative was available.

Councillors have been requesting a meeting with the Environment Agency since late May to discuss these matters directly. Although a meeting has now been arranged for 30th July, it will take place remotely via Microsoft Teams rather than in person. Given the scale of public concern and the number of outstanding questions, residents are entitled to ask whether this demonstrates the level of engagement and commitment they would reasonably expect from the regulator.

We will continue to press both the Environment Agency and the site operator for greater transparency, clearer answers and effective action to address the concerns of local residents.

11/07/2026

09/07/2026

🌿 Priorslee Community Litter Pick 🌿

A reminder that our next community litter pick will arranged by Cllr Rachael Tyrrell and I will take place on Wednesday 15th July 6 -7pm.

📍 Meeting point: Hickory’s lower car park.

I’ll provide litter pickers, hi-viz vests and bags, but if you have your own equipment, please bring it along.

Everyone is welcome, whether you can spare 15 minutes or stay for the whole session. Every little bit helps, and together we can keep Priorslee looking clean, tidy and welcoming for everyone.

Hope to see you there!

04/07/2026

St. Peter’s Churchyard
Cllr Rachael Tyrrell popped along to personally thank Luke Harris and the fantastic team who have come along, in their own time, voluntarily, to support him in cutting the grass in the remaining section of the churchyard. Words cannot express enough our thanks and appreciation to everyone who have given up their time voluntarily to support the community.
Together with the support from the IdVerde team who also gave up their time over the last few days, the result of everyone’s effort in transforming the churchyard from a mass of overgrown grass has been truly remarkable.