West Berkshire Council deny rubbish tip ban will lead to rise in fly-tipping

"West Berkshire residents are responsible enough"

WEST Berkshire Council has denied claims that on-going waste wars will lead to an increase in fly-tipping – despite previously admitting that a rise in the amount of rubbish being dumped illegally was likely.

Concerns have been raised following the council’s decision to ban Hampshire residents from West Berkshire’s tips, coupled with the decision to stop payments allowing West Berkshire residents use of Smallmead tip in Reading.

In March, West Berkshire Council said its proposals to withdraw £460,000 of funding into the re3 waste partnership, which runs the Smallmead site, was likely to “result in an increase in illegal fly-tipping, as well as a decrease in HWRC (Household Waste Recycling Centre) customer satisfaction”.

However, speaking to the Newbury Weekly News this week, the executive member for communities and protection, Marcus Franks, said: “It was identified as a risk in the budget proposal but we have looked at other areas and they haven’t seen an increase in fly-tipping.

“We know the vast majority of West Berkshire residents are responsible enough to dispose of their waste in the right way and there’s a lot of different ways they can do that.”

Mr Franks added the council had increased monitoring of certain fly-tipping hotspots.

However, residents, councillors and campaigners disagree, claiming the sight of roadside rubbish dumps will become ever more common.

The environmental impact from more traffic on the roads on longer journeys has also been raised.

The leader of the opposition on West Berkshire Council, Alan Macro (Lib Dem, Theale), criticised the council for what he says is a lack of forward planning.

He said: “Something should have been in place for when the changes came into effect at Smallmead.

“It now means people will be driving 30-miles to dispose of their waste, meaning more traffic on the roads and the obvious environmental impact from that.”

Mr Macro also admitted to being puzzled by the council’s dismissal of the concerns over fly-tipping.

“That’s difficult to understand,” he said.

“People have got rubbish to dispose of.

“If they are faced with a 30-mile-round-trip, not everybody is going to do it – it’s an obvious temptation.”

Newbury Green Party spokes-man David Marsh said: “This sounds incredibly counterproductive if they end up having to spend money clearing up rubbish which will probably be more expensive than the amount they save by bringing in these changes.

“I think it was foolish for West Berkshire to withdraw from the re3 partnership when you add up the other things you create as a result like more traffic, more pollution and the fly tipping.

“I would have thought a common sense approach would be best.

“This isn’t down to party politics or agendas, saying to residents you can’t use this or that.

“It’s like telling people they can’t use the library in Newbury, they have to use the one in Theale or wherever.”