Recycling is to become much harder for thousands of Wealden residents as the council begins to close its neighbourhood recycling centres across the district.
The news comes in national Recycling Week when local authorities encourage us all to recycle more although, in Wealden, it may be about to get much harder.
Around 70 such sites were introduced throughout Wealden 15 years ago by the then Conservative-led council. Now the council is axing its 30 remaining community recycling points to save money as it discovers sustainability to be an expensive pastime that it can ill afford, and reports fly-tipping at some of the sites which contaminates the material.
The move has angered Conservative councillors and residents, not least because it’s been made without any consultation. Something the council says it does not have to undertake and already meets the requirements of the 1990 Environmental Act.
Now a group of residents in Hadlow Down are forming a protest group and plan to lobby the council with a ‘Save Our Bins’ petition in an effort to keep the poplar facility at Wilderness Wood.
Conservative councillor for the area, Michael Lunn, says that his straw poll clearly shows that the village wants its local recycling site at Wilderness Wood to remain.
“There is no reason for it to be closed, it is well-used and well-liked. We have not experienced fly-tipping, the site is hidden within the compound of Wilderness Wood. My appeal for the council to reconsider with fell on deaf ears and now it’s time for the community to speak.”
Residents are urged to contact their District Councillors and can find out who they are here: Find Councillor - Councillors Committees - Wealden District Council
