Harborough district councillors hit out at plans to close local tip

Councillors have voiced concerns about proposals to close Harborough tip.

As we reported yesterday, cash-strapped Leicestershire County Council has proposed to shut the site, along with Shepshed and Somerby waste and recycling centres, in a bid to save some £420,000.

It says despite Harborough being one of the most well-used tips, it has seen a difference in how the service is used follow the pandemic, and the district’s needs will be better met at nearby Kibworth tip, which has better facilities after recently undergoing a £5million upgrade.

But councillors have hit out at the plans, which they say will see an increase in traffic in Kibworth and also could also see a rise in fly-tipping.

Council leader Phil Knowles said: “It is vitally important that people engage with this consultation and make their views known.

“While I’m sure that this will be heavily influenced by financial considerations at county level, for me there are also many other things.

“The travel times and increased vehicle movements that will be required for residents from Market Harborough to access the Kibworth tip? Will Kibworth be opened 7 days a week or only on set days?

“The worry about the potential to see an increase in fly tipping. We all known that fly tipping is an eyesore, is potentially dangerous and expensive to clean up.

“Plus of course the increase in traffic on the already busy A6 which is for me a real concern, particularly when you add in to the consideration increased numbers vehicles accessing and departing the Kibworth tip on to this very busy road.”

His concerns have been echoes by Harborough District Council’s Kibworth ward councillors Cllr Phil King and Cllr Simon Whelband.

They said in a statement: “The announcement by Leicestershire County Council that it intends to consult (subject to cabinet’s decision) on the closure of the Market Harborough Residential Waste Recycling site, is a matter of great concern to Kibworths ward councillors.

“The proposal as we understand is to close the Market Harborough waste site and direct the existing users to use the newly refurbished and extended Kibworths’ site which adjoins the A6 south of Kibworth.

“Road safety and accessibility to this site for tens of thousands more users per year is a serious concern to us and local residents, due to the poor safety record on this section of the A6 - we regularly see serious and minor accidents, including vehicles going off the road into the deep ditches either side. We are concerned that this may lead to more accidents, and delays on the key A6 route between Market Harborough and Leicester.

“We encourage all interested residents to respond to the consultation when it opens via the County Council website.”

The council needs to save some £90million by 2026, and says it is on course for a £9million overspend this year due to rising social care costs.

Leicestershire County Council Environment spokesman Cllr Blake Pain said: “We’re doing the best we can with the money we have and we’re super-efficient, but there’s growing pressure and we need to make savings where we can.

“We’re focusing on sites that are relatively expensive to run and have practical, viable alternative locations for those who use them.”