North Hampshire residents to lose free access to West Berkshire tips

Hampshire County Council decides to end subsidies

NORTH Hampshire residents will lose their access to the tip on Newtown Road after Hampshire County Council decided to cut their subsidies to West Berkshire Council.

In a meeting this afternoon (Thursday), Hampshire county councillor Rob Humby accepted recommendations to terminate the annual £175,000 payment from HCC to WBC which allowed 5,000 Hampshire households to use the Newbury and Padworth tips.

This means that from August 1, North Hampshire residents face a potential 20-mile round trip to their nearest Hampshire Household Waste Recycling Centre in Basingstoke or Andover.

Alternatively, North Hampshire residents could foot the bill if they wish to continue using the West Berkshire tips, although it is currently unknown how much this will cost.

For all the details and reaction, see next week’s Newbury Weekly News.