Plans for fewer recycling centres in Oxfordshire

Three recycling centres are to close under new proposals

Oxfordshire could be left with only one tip for general rubbish under new proposals being discussed on Friday.

There are currently eight household waste recycling centres in the county but the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership wants to reduce that number to five.

The only one with the capacity to take non-recyclable rubbish for landfill would be a newly built facility.

Planning permission for this site has been submitted for an area on Langford Lane in Kidlington.

Waste recycling units at Dean Pit in West Oxfordshire, Stanford in the Vale in the Vale of White Horse and Ardley in Cherwell would all be closed under the plans.

The Redbridge site in Oxford would be converted to only take trade waste.

Councillor George Reynolds, the environment portfolio holder for Cherwell District Council, said they were "very concerned" about the proposals, which he said could lead to an increase in fly tipping.

Councillor Ian Hudspeth, who chairs the Oxfordshire Waste Partnership, said: "I have faith in people that they won't suddenly all become law breakers and fly tip."

The proposals, which will be phased in over four years, are expected to save £750,000 a year, with £50,000 of those savings being reinvested to provide assistance to the district councils.

Despite this Mr Reynolds said Cherwell might have to put up costs for things like bulky item collections.

"Whilst it may save the county £750,000, it may not save the rate payer £750,000," he said.