A DECISION by Hampshire County Council to delay changes in opening hours at Alton’s household waste recycling centre until October has drawn claims of “victory” by campaigners who believe the proposed reductions could be the “thin end of the wedge” for the future of the service.

More than 2,200 people have now signed the Save Alton’s Recycling Centre petition, launched on October 1 by resident John Pritchard, who is accusing the county council of performing a “U-turn” due in no small part, he believes, to the “enormous local opposition” demonstrated by the online petition.

But Alton Town county councillor Andrew Joy is adamant: “Alton’s household waste recycling centre does a great job, is very well run, and is here to stay!”

In a statement this week, Mr Joy pointed out that despite “significant uncertainty” at home and abroad, reinforcing the need for “responsible and capable government”, in Hampshire, whether at town, district or county level, “there is huge individual and collective commitment to adapt, maintain and, wherever possible, improve services – despite immense financial pressures”.

Levelling criticism at those who, he believes, are deliberately misinterpreting the household waste recycling centre situation, Mr Joy is determined “to dispel a contrived and wholly false rumour that Alton’s household waste recycling centre is under threat of closure”.

And he stressed: “There is absolutely no plan, nor has there ever been, to close Alton’s household waste recycling centre.

“Unless, of course, you believe a disingenuous and politically-inspired petition seeking to ‘save our recycling centre!’”

Mr Joy continued: “This piece of political fiction has previously been rubbished but its author clearly feels obliged to perpetuate it having printed it as the main strapline on an otherwise rather thin leaflet being pushed through residents’ doors.”

And he added: “Decisions about changes, other than introducing access and charging arrangements for commercial-type waste principally to support small businesses, were formally deferred last November for a year.

“Unfortunately, with county council elections in the spring, temptations to indulge in spin and distortion are all too readily seized in some quarters. Alarmist and spurious campaigns like this one about Alton’s household waste recycling centre are intentionally demoralising, irresponsible and unacceptable.”

The decision by Hampshire County Council to delay implementing plans to charge for DIY waste and to reduce opening hours at its 24 recycling centres was taken in November last year following a Government ruling that charging residents to dispose of DIY waste could be illegal.

The county council had been expecting to save £1.55m through the introduction of charges, as well as by reducing opening hours across the board to 11am to 4pm in the winter and 11am to 6pm in the summer, for six days a week, with all tips being closed on Thursdays, with effect from January 1.

The changes, which were to be introduced as a result of a public consultation earlier in 2016, were seen as an alternative to closing some of its household waste recycling centres, and were part of a need to cut £98m from county council spending, £14.7m of which was to be saved from the environment and transport budget.

But the Department for Communities and Local Government has now insisted that legislation, brought forward in 2015 to stop councils charging residents for household waste, should include any waste from DIY projects.

As a result, Rob Humby, the county council’s executive for environment and transport, made the decision to delay implementation of the changes for a year, saying at the time: “Even though many councils have been charging for non-household waste, or not even accepted it for some years, a recent Government press statement has threatened our saving plans by suggesting they may change the rules.

“We’ve tried to reduce costs in as fair a way as possible, by introducing charging for non-household, construction-type waste for residents. This means paying at the point of use for an extra service, as the county council is not obliged to accept this sort of material, and doesn’t pass any additional costs to council taxpayers.

“Until we get some clarity from Government ministers, we find ourselves in the perplexing position of potentially having to look again at our plans. In the meantime, it seems sensible to hold off bringing in any further changes.”

Mr Pritchard believes that, with this in mind, residents should continue to put pressure on the county council to retain the current level of service at Alton’s household waste recycling centre, adding: “Many people believed that reducing access to our excellent recycling facility would cause an increase in fly-tipping. East Hampshire District Council’s contractors deal with 20 fly-tip incidents per week, and recent figures supplied by EHDC show an increased cost in dealing with fly-tipped rubbish, including asbestos, since 2010.

“With further cuts to public services coming, the threat of closure beyond October 2017 has not gone away.”

The Save Alton’s Recycling Centre petition will remain online for the next few months with a view to handing it in prior to the county council elections in May.