My Lib Dem colleagues and I were out in full force at yesterday’s County Council Cabinet meeting to petition against the proposed closures of a number of Surrey’s Community Recycling Centres.  6 petitions were presented to the Cabinet regarding the recycling centres, with one petition reaching over 8,000 signatures.

The initial recommendation to Cabinet was for the closure of Community Recycling Centres in Bagshot, Cranleigh, Dorking and Warlingham, although this was changed last minute to postpone the closure until the end of September while the Council look into ways they can make the savings elsewhere.

Unfortunately, the threat of closure still hangs over several of Surrey’s tips.  The Lib Dems and I will continue to lobby the County Council to retain these tips on a permanent basis, and for the recycling centre to accept non-recyclable materials so that all people in Surrey continue to have a local tip within a reasonable distance of where they live.

I am glad the Council has begun to listen to the views of residents who object strongly to the closure of their recycling centres.  It is critical that local people continue to be listened to – making it harder to recycle flies in the face of the Government’s strategy for the environment.  I am concerned that limiting our tips to recyclable material will lead to more fly tipping unless getting rid of waste is made easy.