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The 14 Kent tips earmarked to shut or close for two days a week
These are the 14 tips in Kent which could close or be shut two days a week, following a consultation set for July. Kent County Council wants to make savings of £1.5million during the next two years by a shake-up of its operations and centres for household wasted and recycling.
During the past 10 years it has already squeezed out £5million from the recycling centres through cuts. There will be a 12-week consultation on three options from mid-July, all of which will lead to some centres being shut.
The council has 19 household waste and recycling centres, attracting 1.7m annual visits. Previously it has boosted its coffers by charging for non-household waste material such as soil and rubble and charging non-Kent residents £10 for a visit.
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The use of sites has plummeted well below half of bookable slots are now used. The proposals about closing or two-day closing were discussed on Tuesday, May 23 at County Hall.
The options on the table:
Option 1: close Dartford, Richborough, Maidstone and Faversham household waste and recycling centres
Option 2: close Faversham, Maidstone and Richborough tips and close for two days a week: Sheerness, Swanley, New Romney, Deal, Folkestone, Canterbury, Herne Bay, Dover, Margate and Dartford.
Options 3: close Dartford, Faversham and Richborough tips and close for two days a week: Sheerness, Swanley, New Romney, Deal, Folkestone, Canterbury, Herne Bay, Dover, Margate and Maidstone.
Option 1 and 2 would make 11,953 more households outside a 20 minutes off peak drive to a tip, but Option 1 would see an 18 per cent reduction in weekly slots, and option 2 a 27.8 per cent reduction.
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Option 3 would put 7,681 more households outside a 20 minutes drive away, with a 27.3 per cent drop in slots each week. For all options, between 94.2 and 94.9 per cent of households would be within a 20 minutes’ drive from a centre.
Kent County Council’s cabinet member for environment Susan Carey, said: “The budget for 2023/24 agreed by KCC councillors in February identified the need to save £55 million this year from spending reductions and increased income to balance the budget. These savings are necessary to balance the books as the cost of services KCC provides has risen by more than £200 million.
“As part of these savings we are having to make some very challenging decisions about where we can offer our services in the most cost effective and efficient way possible.
“A report on KCC’s Household Waste Recycling Centre network will be discussed by the environment and transport cabinet committee on May 23 with a proposal that a public consultation should take place to gather the views of residents and wider stakeholders.
“No decisions will be made until all options and feedback from the consultation have been considered.”
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