Fight to save 'valued' recycling centres

Thousands of people have backed a campaign to save two "valued" recycling centres from closure.

Wiltshire Council's leaders said they approved plans to shut recycling centres in Lower Compton and Purton due to contractors Hills Waste asking for an "unjustifiable" amount of money to renew the contract.

This has sparked a large backlash, with other councillors saying they will challenge the decision in the High Court. Meanwhile, a petition calling for the closure to be halted has surpassed 3,000 signatures.

A Hills spokesman said the contract fees were based on costs increasing significantly over recent years.

Councillor Ian Thorn, Wiltshire Council leader, said the price proposed for the contract renewal "was substantially higher than the current arrangement" and "would have placed considerable financial pressure on the council".

Purton Parish Council leaders say they will pursue all possible avenues to challenge the decision to close their "much-valued and heavily used" recycling centre.

Meanwhile, South Cotswolds MP Roz Savage has issued an open letter to councillor Thorn calling for urgent action.

She warned that people are "deeply concerned" in her area, according to the Local Democracy Reporting Service.

Her letter clarifies the scale of the proposed fee increase, claiming Hills sought four times the previous cost to extend the contract, something the firm denies and said the figure is 75%.

A number of town and parish councils - including Royal Wootton Bassett and Cricklade - have also spoken out against the planned closures.

Leaders at Wiltshire Council's Conservative group have said they could challenge the decision at the High Court as they claim the decision was made in private.

The council's Reform group has also expressed concern about a lack of consultation, with the group's leader, Ed Rimmer, calling the council "out of touch".

Mr Thorn said that the council is "committed to supporting residents through these changes and will ask for feedback early in the new year".

"We will provide clear information including our plans on a new site in the north of the county," he added.

The Hills Group spokesperson said over the last 11 years costs have increased significantly more than the Consumer Price Index (CPI).

"Recent submissions considered these additional costs along with the cost of essential reinvestment in the sites which would allow us to continue to provide an essential service to the residents of Calne and Purton maintaining the high standards our staff have achieved consistently," they added.

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