WITLEY community recycling centre will operate reduced opening hours from April 1 – as part of cost-cutting changes implemented by Surrey County Council,

Those cutbacks also included the axing of Haslemere’s weekly general rubbish collection at Wey Hill Fairground Car Park, last autumn.

Witley CRC will open from 8am until 4pm on weekdays and from 9am-4pm on Saturday and Sunday.

It is one of 10 main centres across the county that will stay open seven days a week but five centres will now be closed for one or two days each week.

Residents using Bourne Mill, in Farnham, have been told to use Witley or Slyfield Estate, in Guildford, as an alternative on Thursdays and the Farnham tip will no longer accept non-household waste, such as tyres, large gas bottles and larger loads of rubble and plasterboard.

Those using the Cranleigh tip will now have to travel to Witley on Wednesdays and non-household waste can no longer be dumped at the Elmbridge Road site.

Charges for non-household waste will be introduced at Witley in the summer, and from April, recycling centre users may be asked to prove they are a Surrey resident to ensure residents from outside the county are not using the service for free.

The council says the changes are necessary to enable it “to make critical savings while still maintaining a comprehensive service for residents”.

Last November, cabinet members resolved to create a new post to clamp down on fly-tipping in response to public concern the changes could lead to an increase in fly tipping.

The new post will help co-ordinate the work of existing enforcement agencies in Surrey to share intelligence and combat dumping of waste in unauthorised areas.

Commending the changes, Surrey’s cabinet member for environment Mike Goodman said: “We have listened to what people have told us and while we need to make savings due to the huge financial pressures we face, we have been able to put forward proposals which maintain a full network of community recycling centres.

“By fitting opening hours around demand we will achieve better value for money from these centres and ensure we continue to offer a high- quality service.”

But the Liberal Democrats condemned the Conservative-run council’s decision as “flawed”.

Hazel Watson, leader of the opposition at Kingston’s County Hall said: “The council’s consultation only gave unacceptable options but did not give an option of keeping the tips unchanged.

“Residents said that reduced opening hours would make it more difficult for them to dispose of their waste and to recycle.

“This is bound to increase fly-tipping which is already a big problem in Surrey and is getting worse.”

For details call 03456 009 009 or go to www. surreycc.gov.uk/recycling