Lib Dems question recycling centre closures

Liberal Democrat councillors have questioned Gloucestershire County Council's decision to close its household recycling centres one day a week.

The Conservative-run county council has announced from the end of October changes to the opening hours of the five household recycling centres it owns.

These are Fosse Cross near Cirencester, Hempsted in Gloucester, Wingmoor Farm at Bishops Cleeve, Pyke Quarry near Horsley and Oak Quarry near Coleford. They currently open at 9am and close at 6.15pm 12 months a year.

From October 28 the five sites, which are run by Ubico Ltd, will be open from 10am until 4pm and from March they revert to the new summer opening hours of 9am to 5pm.

But each centre will close one day a week, all year round.

Councillor Jeremy Hilton, the Liberal Democrat waste spokesman at Shire Hall, said: "It is entirely sensible to reduce the opening hours of the household recycling centres during the winter as people don't want to be recycling their waste in the dark.

"But to permanently close each recycling centre one day a week sends the wrong message about the importance of recycling.

"It could lead to an increase in fly-tipping of waste across Gloucestershire."

The county council's budget for 2018/19 agreed to savings of £167,000 in the waste management budget.

Reducing opening hours from 10am to 4pm in the winter and 9am to 5pm in the summer has been estimated by the county council to make annual savings of £173,000.

"The county council could meet the required budget savings by reducing opening hours. There is no need to close each recycling centre one day a week as well," Councillor Hilton said.

"In Gloucester the city council has become the 'Vanishing Council' having closed its doors one day a month to residents. Now we have the 'Vanishing Tip' as well."