Council chief threatens legal action amid explosive row over Sunday recycling centre access

Inset: Alliance Knockagh Councillor Aaron Skinner, and below, Mid and East Antrim Borough Council, Interim Chief Executive, Valerie Watts

A contentious meeting of Mid and East Antrim Borough Council on Monday, 21st July 2025, saw Interim Chief Executive Valerie Watts threaten legal action against Alliance (Knockagh) Councillor Aaron Skinner over remarks made during a heated debate about extending household recycling centre (HRC) opening hours to include Sundays.

The exchange, marked by sharp procedural disputes and passionate arguments, has brought into focus how the council balances ratepayer needs with financial and operational constraints.

The debate centred on a motion proposed by Councillor Skinner, which called for a review of HRC opening hours to reinstate Sunday access, a service discontinued in 2023 as part of cost-saving measures.

The motion highlighted the challenges faced by working residents, who struggle to access recycling centres under the current schedule of weekday evenings and Saturdays.

The discussion revealed deep divisions among councillors, with some championing ratepayer convenience and others raising concerns about costs, staffing, and cultural considerations.

Councillor Skinner’s push for accessibility

Councillor Skinner opened the debate with a compelling case for Sunday openings, arguing that the current schedule disadvantages working residents.

“Firstly, people pay for this service, so it needs to work for them. Most residents are working Monday to Friday, and that means for a lot of people the weekend is the only real chance they have to get to a centre,” he said.

He emphasised the need for accessibility, stating, “If we want to encourage people to recycle then we have to give them a time to actually do it and work around their schedule.”

Skinner pointed to successful Sunday operations in neighbouring councils, noting, “Sullatober has run a Sunday rota for years without any problems. Larne did the same until very recently, and since Sunday openings have stopped, we have had complaints from residents with the lack of access, and from staff who seen their pay cut and morale drop.”

He also highlighted that Belfast’s recycling centres operate on Sundays from 12pm to 5pm, while Antrim and Newtownabbey’s Bruslee and Newpark centres are open from 9am to 5pm and 12pm to 5pm, respectively.

“This isn’t difficult – others are already doing it and we used to do it,” he added.

Addressing cost concerns, Skinner proposed a practical solution:

“If cost savings are required, there is a very simple fix, you shift one of the weekday sessions to a Sunday. That way we stay within existing budgets and contracts and residents get the weekend access that they’ve asked for.”

He also drew parallels with other council services, noting, “Our leisure centres are open with lots of staff on site every week, so are we really saying that our recycling centres are the one thing that has to stay closed?”

Alliance (Carrick Castle) Councillor Lauren Gray reinforced Skinner’s arguments, framing the issue as one of fairness.

“This for me is really about fairness – whatever your circumstances, as a ratepayer you have the same access to services across all areas of our borough,” she said.

She shared feedback from residents, including a retired person who remarked, “had they still been working, Saturday opening just would not have been enough and they could not understand why people who were retired were being prioritised as ratepayers.”

Another resident, a full-time worker with a long commute, noted that late-night openings were inaccessible, prompting Gray to question, “Are we saying it is only acceptable for them to use recycling centres one day a week? It is really disappointing if this is the case. I think our ratepayers do deserve more.”

Opposition highlights costs and cultural concerns

The motion faced significant opposition, with councillors raising concerns about financial implications, staffing challenges, and cultural sensitivities.

Ulster Unionist (Larne Lough) Councillor Roy Beggs proposed an amendment to Skinner’s motion, criticising its wording for omitting existing evening and Saturday openings and committing to Sunday openings without cost considerations.

“There’s no caveats, regardless of cost. In case some councillors are not aware of it, it’s double-time for all staff on a Sunday at present,” he said, adding that additional costs could arise from increased waste processing after busy weekends.

“Some of our containers might need emptied after a busy Saturday, to go for two days in a row. So what is the knock-on effect with all those we interact with?”

Beggs also raised concerns about cross-border waste, noting, “I understand that… this will particularly affect Carrick - that Newtownabbey is gone to a booking system and officers are concerned that if we opened on a Sunday we too would have to move to a booking system, because there is potential for quite a significant ingress for material from outside of the borough.”

His amendment sought a comprehensive review, requesting officers to “prepare a report outlining the options that might improve our recycling service, including an estimate of additional cost to ratepayers should council decide to open on a Sunday.”

DUP (Larne Lough) Councillor Gregg McKeen seconded the amendment, stressing the need for data-driven decisions.

“We really do need the facts, the data produced in front of us,” he said, highlighting potential impacts on staffing and union agreements.

“What is the impact then on staffing and unions, and conditions of employment? All those factors need to be looked at, and needs to be considered in making this decision.”

Sinn Féin (Braid) Councillor Archie Rae argued that the issue had already been settled in 2023, when Sunday closures were approved to address a £7 million budget deficit.

“This has already been through the council and been costed things like that. I think we all decided that it was actually too expensive to open on a Sunday,” he said.

Rae also shared worker perspectives, stating, “I actually spoke to some of the workers there in Ballymena, and they say, ‘If we have to work a Sunday and take a day off during the week, it’s not the same as a weekend.’”

TUV (Braid) Councillor Matthew Warwick introduced a cultural dimension, citing Sabbath Day observance as a concern for some residents and workers.

“I find it a bizarre situation that in this chamber, in this town, in the history that has went on here, I’m going to be the first councillor to mention the Sabbath Day observance, a traditional viewpoint that many, in particular, the people that put my party colleagues into office - it’s something that they hold dear,” he said.

He added that workers in Ballymena and Larne had expressed reluctance to work Sundays, and noted that the council’s recent decision to cancel the Bryson Recycling contract in favour of 240-litre co-mingled bins could reduce pressure on HRCs.

Legal threat and procedural disputes

Tensions escalated when Councillor Skinner accused council officers, including Interim Chief Executive Valerie Watts, of briefing members against the motion and failing to clarify procedural norms.

“We’ve had the refusal from the chief executive to answer a straight question on procedure, twice from Councillor Harwood, and a third time from myself,” Skinner said, prompting a sharp rebuke from Watts.

“Councillor Skinner, I cannot accept your comments, particularly in relation to me this evening, and I absolutely will be demanding an apology from you on that,” Ms Watts responded, visibly angered, warning, “And if the apology is not forthcoming, I will be taking personal legal advice on that because you absolutely accused me of something that I have not done.”

The dispute arose from confusion over whether a financial and HR report was automatically required for motions with budgetary implications.

Alliance Councillor Chelsea Harwood had earlier questioned the need for Beggs’ amendment, stating, “Is it not perfectly normal procedure for whenever a motion is, should it be successful, for council officers to take it away to do these kind of financial reports?”

Watts confirmed that such reports were standard, saying, “Yes, absolutely,” after Skinner sought clarification.

Skinner accepted Beggs’ amendment, noting, “I am happy to accept the amendment that we follow standard procedures of this council. I didn’t think it was necessary to put it in the motion, but I am happy to put that in the motion as well.”

However, Skinner later expressed frustration, alleging bias from council leadership.

“It is very clear that the top table and a number of elected members here do not feel that ratepayers deserve the service that they pay for, and that Antrim and Newtownabbey, and Belfast residents deserve a better level of service than Mid and East Antrim does,” he said, prompting further objections from Watts.

The amended motion and vote

The amended motion acknowledged existing Saturday and evening openings while requesting a report on options to enhance HRC services, including the costs of Sunday openings and potential adjustments to current hours.

It was carried with 24 votes in favour, eight against, and one abstention. Supporters included Councillors Beggs, Gray, Skinner, and Mayor Jackson Minford, while opponents included Councillors Warwick, Rae, and Friary, who proposed maintaining the status quo, stating, “Can we not propose to leave just the way it is - it’s closed Sunday?”

TUV (Bannside) Councillor Anna Henry questioned Skinner’s consistency, noting that he had seconded the 2023 decision to streamline HRC hours.

“The seconder of those minutes was Councillor Skinner, so why was he happy enough to streamline the opening hours in August 2023, and is now coming back two years later to devices, no, we don’t want to streamline them anymore, and we want to change back to the way it was?”

Skinner clarified that the 2023 decision was made under different financial circumstances, stating, “That was about rationalising the service so that all household recycling centres across Mid and East Antrim would be treated the same and it was in light of a seven million pounds deficit in our budget. Neither one these positions are being reversed tonight.”

Ratepayer perspectives and next steps

Post-meeting, Councillor Skinner told Love Ballymena:

“The majority of residents within Mid and East Antrim work Monday-Friday, 9am-5pm, and it’s clearly evident that extended opening hours for recycling centres – essential council services that they pay for – on Sundays is something that people very much want.

“With that in mind, we look forward to seeing the findings of the report when it comes back to council, and ensuring a way forward for delivering this key expansion of service availability for our ratepayers.”

The debate underscores broader challenges facing Mid and East Antrim Borough Council as it navigates service provision, financial constraints, and cultural sensitivities.

The 2023 Sunday closures were driven by a reported £7 million budget deficit, which Skinner noted has since eased. The forthcoming officer’s report will be pivotal in determining whether Sunday openings can be reinstated without increasing rates or disrupting staff contracts.

Councillor Gray concluded her response in the meeting, saying, “I just think people need to be respectful here and remember that we are actually arguing taking services away from ratepayers in a public forum.”

Council officers will now prepare an updated report, expected later this year, which will outline financial, HR, and operational implications of Sunday opening — including potential trade-offs in weekday availability.

The outcome of the review will shape not only recycling access but also the council’s broader approach to balancing ratepayer needs with operational realities.

Meanwhile, Valerie Watts declared she would review the meeting records and consider any necessary action:

“I will certainly, as I always do, question my own behaviours and my comments before I do anything else… but I do believe that I did answer your questions.”

Her threat of legal action is highly unusual within Northern Ireland local government, suggesting the possibility of a formal grievance in the coming weeks.