Charging fears if recycling centres close

Shaun Davies, leader of the Labour-run Telford authority, said all options will be looked at to mitigate against the impact on residents

Shropshire Council residents could be charged for using recycling centres in Telford and Wrekin if their own centres are closed as part of budget cuts, the Telford council leader has warned.

The Shropshire authority is seeking to save £62m during the next financial year, having also recently approved a 5% rise in council tax.

Telford and Wrekin Council leader, councillor Shaun Davies, said he understood the financial challenges the authority faced, but he "cannot allow" the service cuts to have a negative impact on his residents.

A public consultation on charging for garden waste collections and the possible closure of two recycling centres in Shropshire will begin next week, the council said.

Reduce costs

Mr Davies set out his concerns in a letter to the leader of Conservative-run Shropshire Council, Lezley Picton.

The potential closure of Bridgnorth Household Recycling Centre could have a negative impact on centres in Telford and Wrekin, and most notably, on nearby Halesfield Recycling Centre, he said.

“We will respond to Shropshire Council’s consultation on proposed changes to waste management services and if closures of recycling centres go ahead, we will look at all options to mitigate against the impact on our own residents," he said.

“This would include but would not be limited to charging Shropshire residents and businesses for the use of household recycling centres within Telford and Wrekin.”

In response, the Shropshire authority said no decision had been made and the consultation will ask people’s views on options that could help keep all centres open.

That could either be through adding a small additional fee for garden waste collections on top of the suggested £1 a week equivalent subscription, or by reducing the numbers of days a week that the sites are open to help reduce costs, the council said.

A decision is expected to be made in the summer.