A HARTLEY Wintney resident who set up a petition to save a rubbish tip that has been earmarked for closure has said the site is "a valuable resource".

As previously reported, as many as 12 tips in Hampshire could close in a bid to save Hampshire County Council £1.6m per year.

The council has presented its proposal as part of the saving plan to meet the forecasted £132m budget shortfall by April 2025, with all departments asked to reduce costs and provide the legal minimum of services required by law.

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As part of the proposals, the county council has detailed its plan, which includes the future closure of 12 household waste recycling centres (HWRCs) which would save up to £1.6m a year, including the site in Hartley Wintney.

Since the news has been brought to light an online petition has been started by David Woodhead to save the tip from the threat of closure. It has so far got more than 1,300 signatures.

David who has spent 25 years in a variety of consulting firms said that the closure will have a "detrimental effect on the environment" and "inconvenience residents".

He said: "I feel that the site in Hartley Wintney is a well-used site and valuable resource at a time when we are all being encouraged to recycle more. It will also force people to have to travel further."

He told the Gazette that there are "already limited" options for disposing of waste in Hampshire and losing the site would "lead to an increase in fly-tipping".

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He added: "It will also lead to an increase in kerbside waste collections where people try and shove the waste into black bags."

The tip is among a group of sites which the council say are the smallest sites, the poorest performing and most expensive to run.

Other sites include Alresford, Bishops Waltham, Fair Oak and Hayling Island. 

Due to operational challenges and investment requirements, closures could happen in the Aldershot, Bordon, Casbrook, Hedge End, Marchwood, Petersfield, and Somerley sites.

A spokesperson for Hampshire County Council previously said the council is "keen to hear from as many people as possible" during the consultation stage which ends on Sunday, March 31.

They added: “With the pressure to find £132m of savings by April 2025, we cannot leave any stone unturned, as like many other local authorities nationally, our costs continue to rise from inflation and demand for vital local services in Hampshire is at an all-time high, especially in children’s social care, special educational needs and disabilities, and home to school transport.

"Therefore, we must make some very difficult decisions about the services we continue to provide in future so there’s enough money available to fund services we must legally deliver – like protecting children from harm, social care for Hampshire’s growing elderly population, and supporting adults and children with disabilities and additional needs."

To sign the petition visit change.org/p/urge-hampshire-county-council-to-keep-hartley-wintney-and-aldershot-recycling-centres-open.