Abattoir Odour Update

The Environment Agency (EA) does have a series of actions that the abattoir needs to carry out over the next year to improve processes and reduce the risk of odour in order to comply with its operating permit. So Ali is monitoring that.

For the time being it is really important people keep reporting the smells. The EA needs several calls before it will come out to investigate so it is important that everyone report it when the smell becomes noticeable rather than leaving it to the most affected residents all the time. The problem is that the EA are unable to investigate in a timely manner. I am aware various residents have had an issue when reporting it to the abattoir, feeling that their concerns were being dismissed or that they have been spoken to rudely by abattoir staff. I have spoken to Daniel about this and asked that he and abattoir staff remember that you are only getting in touch because it is an issue for you, that it is at your homes and you can’t just go home from it. For the time being people need to keep reporting to the abattoir as well as they can only deal with something if they know about it at the time. I would also ask that people contact me if they feel their calls are not dealt with appropriately by the abattoir and I will get back in touch with Daniel.

In the longer run though I would like us to find a better way for reporting this. I don’t think two phone calls are the best way to have to deal with this. And also I have concerns that, with the best will in the world, and much as they want to identify what processes are causing smells, the abattoir staff may well be “smell blind”, if that is the right phrase for it, when coming out to check smells. It is frustrating that the EA hasn’t got the capacity and is too far away to come and check it in a timely manner. We could do with someone independent who can assess smell issues. I am going to talk to our environmental health department about this.

The plan for the additional building was submitted in June 2018 and permission was granted back in August 2018 as an officer’s delegated decision with it not making it to our planning committee (planning application number 18/0493 if you want to look at the details online). As often seems to happen with planning applications it went in over the summer when people are more likely to be away. There are various issues that arise in my opinion about this, in particular around lack of information to residents about it. I am going to look into this further. I am so sad for you that this further development of the abattoir, with the space for animals to stay for up to 10 days, has been allowed to happen so close to residents’ houses.