Hours and opening days could be cut at Lancashire Waste Recycling Centres

It could soon be harder to get to the tip across the county.
Opening hours could be cut at the household waste recycling centre in Cottam, Preston, along with others in the countyOpening hours could be cut at the household waste recycling centre in Cottam, Preston, along with others in the county
Opening hours could be cut at the household waste recycling centre in Cottam, Preston, along with others in the county

Opening hours at Household Waste Recycling Centres across Lancashire will be slashed, if new proposals are accepted.

A review of the service due to be presented to Lancashire County Council’s Internal Scrutiny Committee recommends reducing the operation of seven out of the county’s 15 sites from seven to five days a week, although all would remain open at weekends.

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It also recommends changing opening hours at all sites from 9am to 5pm, reflecting surveys showing that visitor numbers are “relatively low” from 8am to 9am, and after 5pm.

Jobs could also be lost as the review recommends reducing staff numbers at four HWRCs to achieve “consistency” in staffing across the sites.

The Internal Scrutiny Committee is set to provide feedback to the council’s deputy leader, who is responsible for waste management.

County Hall says that if accepted, the plans to save £734,000 could form part of the council’s budget proposals for 2019/20.

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All HWRCs are currently open seven days a week. Of the seven sites being proposed to close on two weekdays, six are the county’s quietest sites which receive less than 5,000 tonnes of waste a year, at Longridge, Barnoldswick, Clitheroe, Burscough, Carnforth, and Haslingden.

Steve Scott, head of waste management, said: “Lancashire County Council faces significant financial challenges and all service areas have been asked to carry out reviews and present options for savings to be made.

“The proposals being presented for consideration by the Internal Scrutiny Committee aim to make a significant saving by improving efficiency in the way our Household Waste Recycling Centres operate.

“Lancashire’s HWRCs provide an extensive service in comparison with other councils, so there is scope to make savings by aligning opening days and hours more closely with the way people use them, ensuring they are open at the busiest times, but closing them when there is less demand.”

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The review had also considered limiting the types of waste accepted, introducing further charges for some wastes, and limiting use of HWRCs to Lancashire residents only, however no proposals are currently being taken forward on these issues.