ENVIRONMENT Agency and county council officials have been invited to explain what is going on at a waste site in Abbotskerswell after the company running it appears to have ceased trading.

This morning Abbotskerswell Parish Council is holding a private meeting to try to get some answers after operations at Ruby Farm waste site have been taken over by a new company, Devon Recycling Limited.

On Monday South Devon Magistrates at Torquay were due to hear a case against the previous company, Ruby Waste Management Ltd, for alleged unpaid fines amounting to more than £45,000.

No one was present from the company. Alasdair James, representing the company, told the court that the company had 'effectively' gone into liquidation. The case was adjourned to April 1 so that further details can be sought.

Director and secretary of Ruby Waste Management Ltd, Anthony Small, was tight-lipped this week, merely saying that the company had ceased trading at the end of January.

Inquiries made by this paper to Torquay County Court, Exeter Insolvency Service, Bristol Chancery Registry, the Official Receiver and the London Gazette failed to throw any light on the matter.

Ruby Waste Management Ltd is still listed as 'active' on the Companies House website.

The new company, Devon Recycling Ltd, was incorporated on January 26, with Mr Small listed as secretary and director. Charles Down, joint licence-holder and landowner, is listed as a director. Residents report seeing the new sign go up on February 16.

In October 2007, the Environment Agency successfully prosecuted Ruby Waste Management Ltd for polluting the Aller Brook and for keeping unlicensed waste on site. The company was fined £24,000 and £2,000 costs. Last August it was prosecuted again after a second pollution incident and the company was fined a further £30,000.

To date £10,8009 has been paid, leaving a balance of £45,476.79 outstanding.

An agency spokesman said that once fines were imposed, it was up to the courts to enforce them.

'If a company goes into liquidation or receivership my understanding is that the company can make representations to get the fines reduced.

'Any costs awarded during any case still stand.'

He added that the agency is currently looking at some permit breaches and that correct operation of the site lies squarely with the licence-holders, Mr and Mrs Down.

Mike Deaton, development control officer at Devon County Council, said he 'wasn't entirely sure' what the situation was as regards Ruby Waste Management.

'On one hand I've been told it's gone into receivership, on the other that it has simply ceased trading.'

He said that outstanding appeals against planning refusal and enforcement action would be unaffected as these relate to the land ownership and named individuals, not a specific company.

Two Mile Oak resident Vanessa Wilson said: 'It is very strange. We are obviously concerned that things are only going to get worse.

'Only on Saturday afternoon they were working outside their licensed hours and they do that regularly.

'We have got an emergency number to ring the Environment Agency and two people did ring.

'To me it just seems that they [the authorities] don't know what's going on.'

She said that Teignbridge MP Richard Younger-Ross was being kept abreast of developments.