More than £132,000 is still owed to a council by the former operator of Walleys Quarry, a year after the company's collapse.

Walleys Quarry Ltd went into liquidation in February 2025, two months after the Environment Agency placed a closure notice on the controversial Silverdale landfill site following years of odour complaints.

The company collapsed owing millions of pounds to creditors, including £132,097 owed to Newcastle-under-Lyme Borough Council, which has not yet been paid.

This total includes £102,000 in legal fees agreed through a mediated settlement relating to an abatement notice, as well as unpaid business rates.

According to a council report, the authority is in correspondence with the Walleys Quarry liquidators 'in order to recover these outstanding monies'.

Members of the health, wellbeing and environment scrutiny committee received an update on Walleys Quarry and raised concerns over the length of time it is taking to recover the debt.

Committee chair Rupert Adcock said: "Is there no other powers the council has to recover the monies that are owed to us, other than waiting until that becomes more clear? Is there nothing else the council can do to pursue those debts that are owed to us? Because it's quite substantial isn't it?"

Councillor Joan Whieldon suggested that the debt could 'fall between the cracks' if not vigorously pursued by the council.

advertisement

She said: "Can someone confirm that the repayment of the debt is being pursued? It could actually be dealt with quite quickly, and I can't for the life of me understand why it's taking so long.

"I know the court system is in shreds at the moment because of the huge backlogs, but even so, we need a timeline for this and it needs tracking. I wouldn't like to lose £132,000."

Nesta Barker, service director for regulatory services, told the committee that there are no other options for recovering the money available to the council.

She said: "My understanding is that we are one of many creditors in terms of the liquidation process. We've engaged with that process and we know there hasn't been the final winding up of that company.

"There's a list and a hierarchy in relation to those creditors. My understanding is that we are engaged in that process as far as we can be."

Since Walleys Quarry Ltd collapsed, the site has been managed by the Environment Agency, using discretionary powers to 'remove a risk of serious pollution'.

Hydrogen sulphide emissions linked to the landfill have remained below the 'annoyance' threshold almost continuously over the last 12 months, following the capping of the site and improvements to gas infrastructure arranged by the EA.

But unanswered questions still remain over the site's long-term future and how its permanent restoration will be funded.

advertisement

The EA will be commissioning a full hydrogeological survey of the site later this year, which it says will help 'a longer-term strategy for the site' to be agreed.