By Carmelo Garcia _ Local Democracy Reporter
More than 1,400 people are calling on council chiefs to work together to reopen the Swindon Road tip in Cheltenham.
Cheltenham Borough Council closed their household recycling centre temporarily on 10 January to consider options for the site’s long term future and had hoped that Gloucestershire County Council would take it on.
Borough chiefs say the site needs a £1m investment to bring the tip inline with new environmental regulations.
However, Shire Hall bosses have rejected that proposal and say there is enough capacity at nearby recycling sites such as Wingmoor Farm in Bishop’s Cleeve.
A petition set up by Cheltenham MP Max Wilkinson which calls on the County Council to work with Cheltenham Borough to save the site has been signed by more than 1,400 people.
Councillor Roger Whyborn (LD, Benhall and Up Hatherley) presented the petition, which is supported by Cheltenham Borough Councillor
Julian Tooke, to environment, economy and planning cabinet member David Gray (C, Winchcombe and Woodmancote) at Wednesday’s meeting.
“The petition is for the two councils to work together and for the County Council to take up its role as the waste disposal authority in that situation which is of great concern to residents,” he said.
Speaking ahead of the meeting outside Shire Hall, Cllr Tooke called on the County Council to step up to the plate and take on the site.
“Since 1974, Gloucestershire County Council has been responsible for recycling household waste in Gloucestershire,” he said.
“So what that means is for effectively 50 years, Cheltenham Borough Council has been effectively subsidising the County Council, that’s not right.
“The cost is too high and it’s really disappointing they can’t step up to the plate after 50 years of doing their job.”
Cllr Gray said Shire Hall chiefs appreciate many people like using the Swindon Road facility but they are fully meeting their obligations as the provider of household recycling service.
He said it was always the case that Cheltenham was providing an additional service for “historic reasons”.
“We are not in a position to make up for the shortfall in investment Cheltenham Borough Council have made,” he said.
“It goes back to lack of investment by Cheltenham Borough Council and the dire state of their finances which means they’re scrambling around and looking to offload, not just their offices, but also any liabilities.
“The tip for them is a liability and because it has been allowed to run down and there has been no investment.
“It is now quite a significant amount of money that needs to be put into it. And they are obviously not in a position to do that.
“From our side, we have our household recycling centres. We offer a good service, we have enhanced the offer at Wingmoor, it doesn’t make sense for us to pick up a liability of more than £1m and £600,000 a year. That would not be a sensible use of council funds.
“I empathise with the residents. I just want to assure them that we will continue to offer good household recycling centre services but the Swindon Road site is not viable at this point.”
He said the County Council wants to build care homes and schools and “bailing out CBC is not one of the things they will use their money for.”