Waterdale Recycling Centre in Garston is another step closer to reducing its opening days after a Hertfordshire County Council (HCC) meeting last month.
As reported in last month’s GARSTONnews, HCC is proposing to reduce the centre’s opening days from seven days a week to five days a week. An online booking system has also been proposed.
It is estimated that the changes will save HCC £500,000 a year.
Despite Three Rivers District Council’s (TRDC) opposition, HCC voted down amendments to the budget to keep the recycling centre open seven days a week.
Councillor Eric Buckmaster, HCC’s executive member for the environment, said: “A booking system could help ensure staff have time to help customers, and mean reduced queuing times and fewer wasted journeys as access would be guaranteed.”
Regarding opening times, he added: “We would intend to keep all sites open at weekends and ensure that opening days are staggered to ensure there’s always a nearby site open among our 16 recycling centres across Hertfordshire.”
On both counts, he pledged to engage in public consultation before any decisions were finalised.
Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst, Leader of TRDC, formally objected to the changes, along with councillors from Watford and St Albans.
He told GARSTONnews: “Not only will [the online booking system] exclude those residents who have limited online access, it does not account for the need to do multiple trips. I am certain these changes, if they come in, will lead to more random fly-tipping and in the end cost more than any savings.”
HCC say they will develop detailed proposals before any changes come into effect.
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