Bridport's new waste transfer station 'not safe' from cost cutting proposals

And Bridport’s as yet unopened £8 million waste transfer centre is among them.

Bridport Town Councillors were outraged that Bridport’s flagship waste transfer station could be at risk.

Dorset Waste Partnership (DWP), the umbrella organisation formed in 2011 to take care of the county’s waste, recycling and street cleaning services, has announced a public consultation which includes a number of options – including shutting down sites, opening them part-time or charging entry fees to residents.

DWP bosses say up to £100,000 could be recouped for each site shut down, while potential savings of £65,000 per year could be clawed back per centre by charging entry fees and £300,000 if centres only open a few days a week.

Town councillors were discussing the consultation at their finance and general purposes committee.

Council leader Sarah Williams said it would be ‘crazy’ to close Bridport’s new centre before its even been built.

She said: “One of the ones they are looking at is Bridport and it hasn’t even been built. It is absolutely crazy to close it.”

Cllr Tett said it was ‘absolutely nonsense’.

He said: “I have never heard as much madness in all my born days.

“It’s absolutely ridiculous. I could not believe it. We haven’t even opened it yet.”

Cllr Martin Ray said limiting access to recycling centres would see more flytipping.

He said: “If they start charging it will all appear in the bushes.”

Cllr Dave Rickard said the waste partnership was giving out mixed messages.

He said: “We are trying to encourage people to recycle.

“Talk about a mixed message. The DWP was created as a ‘fit for purpose’ one stop shop for all our waste and recycling. Now they come back even before they have rolled out the last phase in Bridport saying ‘we’ve screwed it up’.

“It’s outrageous.”

A Dorset Waste Partnership spokesperson said: "The new Bridport waste management centre at Broomhills remains on track to open this summer, to coincide with the start of the new Recycle for Dorset collection service in the area.

"The current consultation on possible changes to household recycling centres relates to all 11 sites in Dorset. We cannot rule any HRCs in or out of the options at this stage. No decision will be made before the results of the consultation have been considered in full in June 2015."

DWP chairman Cllr Anthony Alford said: “The DWP needs to recognise the major reductions in funding for our partner councils and do what we can to help them meet their target savings.

“We need to look at everything we do and ensure we provide an efficient and effective service.”

Residents have until February 13 to have their say on the following options:

A. Close one or more of the 11 Dorset HRCs on a permanent basis. (Specific HRCs have not yet been identified and would be subject to further consultation.) Potential savings: Up to £100,000 a year per site

B. Charge for entry at one or more HRCs instead of closing them. Potential savings: £65,000 a year per site

C. Close all HRCs for up to three weekdays. Potential savings: up to £300,000 a year D. Charge residents to dispose of non-household materials, such as DIY waste and tyres. Potential savings: £250,000 a year.

E. Remove the subsidy the DWP pays neighbouring councils for Dorset residents to use their HRCs and ask residents to pay instead (e.g. £5 per visit). Potential savings: £70,000 a year.

More than one of these changes may be needed, says DWP.

Will this be an increasingly common sight if recycling centres are closed?

BRIDPORT councillors fear an increase in flying tipping if recycling centres are shut or only open part-time.

Their fears come on top of a number of incidents in the West Dorset area.

Caroline Pearce‎ reported an incident to police when a large quantity of fridges were left in a private field in Bridport.

She said: “On Sunday night or the early hours of Monday a driver of a flatbed truck discovered that Bridport dump was not open 24 hours so fly tipped these fridge freezers and chest freezers in the entrance to our neighbour's field.”

She said the landowner now had the responsibility of getting rid of the waste.

The National Trust also found a large amount of rubbish on its land at Lamberts Castle.

National Trust ranger Jon Sibthorp said: “The rubbish appeared over the Christmas period and we are in the process of trying to engage a contractor to clear the waste. “As it is classed as hazardous waste due to the asbestos and paint tins we have had quotes of up to £1500 to have it cleared which is a considerable cost burden to be borne by any landowner, let alone a conservation charity.

“We have some leads as to who may have dumped the rubbish as there were a number of items of paperwork recovered from the fly tipping which all listed a particular name and address in Weymouth.

“Therefore we have good reason to believe that the fly tipped rubbish and the perpetrator of may have originated in that area.

“We have passed on any items of paperwork to the relevant authorities that might be able to help prosecute the perpetrators.”

The National Trust team clearing the site on Tuesday: Rowan Thompson, Nick Tarrier and Bill Holden. Nick and Rowan are both NT Rangers and Bill is a Volunteer for the NT. (Copyright Buesnel Photography 2015)

Mr Buesnel said: "Their commitment and love for the countryside was evident and they went about their work with efficiency and determination, but not without an air of anger and frustration that there's people around who would do such a thing.