A BODY representing landowners, farmers and rural businesses across the South East has raised concerns that proposals to close recycling centres in Surrey in order to save money could be “self-defeating” if it leads to a rise in fly-tipping and clear-up costs.
It comes as a nine-week public consultation into Surrey County Council’s plans to potentially close at least four sites - including the Bourne Mill recycling centre in Farnham - is set to come to a close on Friday, January 4.
According to CLA South East, such a move could lead to a rise in fly-tipping if centre users have to travel greater distances to their next nearest site, which would then leave taxpayers, landowners and farmers with large clean-up bills - echoing the widespread concerns of councillors and residents in Farnham.
Regional CLA director Robin Edwards said: “We understand councils are facing tough budget choices and are looking at where they can make savings.
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“But it makes little sense if thousands and thousands of pounds of taxpayer or landowner money has to be spent clearing up dumped waste. That would be self-defeating, not to mention the environmental cost.
“Each incident of fly-tipping on private land costs the owner on average £844 to clean up, but why should innocent landowners bear the burden of this disgraceful crime?”
According to government figures, there were nearly 80,000 incidents of fly-tipping in the South East during 2016-17 and around one million nationally. In the last year, it is estimated that fly-tipping cost local authorities across the country nearly £58 million to clear.
It comes after the Herald launched a Don’t Dump the Dump campaign in December objecting to plans to close Farnham’s recycling centre.
Around 400 concerned residents have since signed a paper petition at the Herald office calling on Surrey County Council to retain Farnham’s tip, while a further 2,000 people have signed a petition online at change.org launched by West Street resident Yolande Hesse.
Farnham Town Council has also spoken out against the potential closure, while more than a hundred residents made their views known to council chiefs at a drop-in consultation session at Farnham Library on December 17.
The county council is also consulting on planned cuts to children’s centres, concessionary bus passes, libraries and SEND provision in Surrey - and the public have until 11.59pm on Friday to comment online at surreycc.gov.uk.