All County’s Rubbish Tips Reprieved, Fees Stop, Recycling Centres To Stay Open

Published on: 26 Sep, 2019
Updated on: 29 Sep, 2019

A Surrey Recycling Centre. Photo courtesy Surrey County Council.

By Rebecca Curley

local democracy reporter

All rubbish tips in Surrey should remain open and charges for small amounts of wood and rubble should stop, a county council committee has been told.

These are two of the 12 findings from councillors reporting on controversial proposals to close four community recycling centres. in Warlingham, Dorking, Cranleigh and Bagshot, under county cost-cutting plans.

Recycling centres also need to be better-used, renamed and more information given to residents on what can be recycled and where it can be dumped, the Waste Task Group reported to the communities, environment and highways select committee on Thursday (September 19).

Thousands of residents had signed petitions and campaigned to keep their local tips open after the council announced earlier this year that the sites faced closure.

But councillors said some should be considered for development and the recycling centre moved to a different position in the town.

Recommendations will now go to cabinet members for approval in October.

In response to petitions to keep Cranleigh and Warlingham community recycling centres, council leader Tim Oliver told cabinet on Tuesday (September 24): “I’m very hopeful Cabinet and council will confirm that neither of these centres will be closed and the threat of closure will be removed.”

The 12 recommendations to go before cabinet:

(The full recommendations are summarised)

1: All present CRCs should be kept open;

2: The council should consider whether giving up a site and moving it nearby would be financially viable with a net gain for the Surrey taxpayer;

3: Charges for small quantities of wood and rubble should stop because this causes public confusion;

4: The re-use shops at CRCs should be reviewed after a year’s operation;

5: A rebranding of CRCs should be considered;

6: A clear, consistent message to people is required;

7: Better links urged with voluntary and charity organisations to reuse larger items;

8: The Surrey Environmental Partnership needs to be turbo-charged to improve performance rates of recycling;

9: Targets for improved increases in recycling rates should be set;

10: Commercial services to business and other public service organisations should be investigated;

11: Move to make use of CRC capacity; and

12: Work more with private waste disposal companies in Surrey.

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