A PHOTO ID scheme for Clacks residents accessing Alloa's recycling centre is to be retained.

Clackmannanshire Council introduced the scheme at the Forthbank Household Waste Recycling Centre when it re-opened after the first Covid-19 lockdown in 2020, with visitors being asked to verify their online booking when attending the site by producing photo ID that matched the booking details.  

The move aimed to stop misuse of the site, replacing an access scheme for residents that involved an addressed card being issued to all households.

Despite some teething problems, the local authority's Place Committee approved plans to retain the new arrangements last Thursday, January 20, morning.

Cllr Craig Holden, who chaired the meeting, said he was grateful to all the staff involved in ensuring the smooth running of the scheme.

He said: "We're always keen to look at alternatives, and I do note there's a commitment to perhaps move to some sort of phone app in the future.

"But we do expect people to show some form of ID to confirm that people using the site are residents from here.

"I was aware that there were a number of people crossing borders to use facilities, and there's quite a considerable cost with the misuse of recycling centres that we need to address."

The photo ID scheme initially attracted criticism when some users said they were receiving "demands" to show their drivers' licence in order to gain access to the site – something council staff had no legal right to do.

However, that does not stop the council from adopting a general principle of requiring photo ID to use the site, and amended guidance on the types of documents that could be used to demonstrate proof of ID and residence in Clackmannanshire was drawn up in early 2021.

In his report to the committee, strategic director Pete Leonard said the current practice carries a number of advantages over the previous scheme and should therefore continue. 

"There are almost no administration costs for the council attached to the scheme," he noted.  

"Feedback from the public is that they prefer this and find it much easier as people don't usually carry their card anyway or have it anymore.  

"Household Waste Recycling Centre staff have greater confidence that the site is being used correctly, avoiding the potential for conflict with site users, and the overall cost of waste disposal should decrease. 

"It should be further noted that since the modified photo ID scheme was introduced, no formal complaints have been received to the council in respect of its implementation."