Disappointment as council confirms tip closure

Residents have spoken of their disappointment at a council's decision to close a household waste recycling centre (HWRC) in Birstall.

Kirklees Council confirmed the Nab Lane waste centre would shut its doors later in the autumn, while opening hours would be reduced at two further sites.

Alex Miller, who regularly uses the Birstall site, said the closure would be "an absolute nightmare", and raised concerns over a potential increase in fly-tipping.

The council said the changes to waste facilities would save the authority nearly £200,000 over the next two financial years.

Councillors were told if the proposals did not go ahead, savings would have to be made elsewhere.

The council said the waste site at Bent Ley Road in Meltham would open from Wednesday to Sunday, while the Bromley Farm site in Upper Cumberworth would be open from Friday to Tuesday.

Councillor Munir Ahmed, cabinet member for environment and highways, said the level of service would be "comparable to that of Leeds, Bradford, and Wakefield".

Speaking to the BBC about the Birstall closure, Mr Miller said: "The closest one to me is going to be Huddersfield, it's an extra 20-25 minutes.

"When you're going to the tip you can make two to three tip runs a day."

He said fly-tipping would be "insane" as a result and it had already been "getting worse".

Taxi driver, Adel, who has lived in Gomersal for 24 years, said he had used the tip his "whole life".

"I think it's really sad," he said.

"Where are people going to put their rubbish? Everywhere.

"There is so much rubbish already, people throw it.

"It's more mess realistically."

Kathryn said the tip would be "sadly missed" by users and raised concerns about an increase in fly-tipping.

"It's already going on, everywhere you look, there is lots of rubbish dumped," she said.

"You've only to look around you."

Jill, another user, said she was "annoyed" the tip was to close.

"It will make a massive difference, we're going to have to travel far and people who don't have the money to travel are going to fly-tip."

Speaking for the council, Ahmed said: “Now proposals are approved, peak opening times will be maintained across the remaining HWRC sites whilst meeting financial targets for the service.

“We have to make difficult decisions in the current financial climate but this proposal still leaves Birstall and Birkenshaw residents with the industry-recommended journey time to their nearest HWRC.

“With the tip at Nab Lane needing major modernisation and investment over the coming years, this is one of many cost-saving measures being implemented across the council, as set out in the annual budget earlier this year.”

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