Council accused over recycling centre closure plan

Sarah Hall Council bosses have been accused of being “short-sighted” over plans to close one of Norfolk's recycling centres, with furious families urging them to reconsider the proposal.

Sarah Hall

Council bosses have been accused of being "short-sighted" over plans to close one of Norfolk's recycling centres, with furious families urging them to reconsider the proposal.

Norfolk County Council has earmarked the recycling centre in Docking for closure, sparking anger from people who say the move will see a surge in fly-tipping.

The council says the Docking centre, at Docking Common, off Fakenham Road, needs to close to make way for a new one to open in Dereham.

The new centre is needed because there is a gap in facilities in central Norfolk, according to council bosses and they suggest people in Docking and surrounding villages could instead head to recycling centres in Heacham, Hempton and Wells.

But at a meeting of the county council's cabinet yesterday, users of the centre made clear their feelings to councillors, with 16 members of the public tabling questions.

They said they were "horrified" by plans to shut the Docking centre, saying people would not bother to drive to the other centres and fly-tipping would increase.

Ian Monson, cabinet member for waste and environment, said: "The proposal does not reflect the quality of service at the site. Ultimately, the site has considerably less usage and tonnage throughput than any other site in the county.

"In a time where the authority needs to save �140m over the next three years, efficiencies such as these have to be considered, particularly where alternatives exist."

Mr Monson added the closure was only a proposal at this stage and said a public meeting next month would give people another chance to make their views known to councillors.

The meeting will be held at Ripper Hall in Docking from 7pm on Friday, February 12.