Councillor defends decision to ban out of county residents from Hertfordshire's tips

LEADING county councillor Eric Buckmaster has defended Hertfordshire’s decision to ban non-county residents from its recycling centres, after it was branded ‘silly’.

Hertfordshire County Council took the decision to restrict access to its 16 recycling sites in March, in response to estimates that one-in-five users had travelled-in from elsewhere.

And it said that neighbouring authorities who wished to maintain access for their residents would need to make a ‘reciprocal agreement’ with the council.

Last week the county’s move was reported to have been branded “regrettable” at a meeting of Cambridge County Council’s environment and green investment committee.

And at that meeting it has been reported that Hertfordshire was urged to ‘stop being so silly’.

But earlier this week – at a meeting of Hertfordshire County Council – Cllr Buckmaster said it was ‘unfair’ for Hertfordshire residents to subsidise those from other areas.

And he updated councillors on ongoing discussions with Cambridgeshire County Council in a bid to reach a reciprocal agreement.

He highlighted data that suggested that around HALF of all users of the county’s recycling centre in Royston – 47.67 per cent – travel from over the Cambridgeshire border.

But just 12.24 per cent of those using Cambridgeshire’s Threplow site, he said, had travelled in the other direction, from Hertfordshire.

Pointing to that imbalance he told councillors: “[…] this difference in use is why Cambridgeshire is considering to agree a payment to Hertfordshire to compensate for the increased cost it faced from the imbalance.

“Cambridgeshire is also planning to conduct its own research about who uses its sites from neighbouring areas.

“As a reminder we estimate that we have a net import of around 20 per cent of material from neighbouring authorities.”

Cllr Buckmaster said the use of Hertfordshire sites may reflect opening hours, proximity – or limits in the frequency or the materials that could be left in other authorities.

And he said: “Local authorities set their own budgets and precepts.

“They decide their own policies and where to invest in infrastructure. And it is unfair for our residents to be subsidising those of other areas where they might have a different set of priorities.”

It is understood that Hertfordshire County Council is still in discussion with officials from Cambridgeshire Essex and Central Bedfordshire council with regard to ‘reciprocal agreements’.

And while those discussions continue residents from the three counties are being given access to Hertfordshire recycling centres.