Lib Dems Say "No" to Closing Richborough and Deal Recycling Centres

The proposals from the Conservative-run Kent County Council to close the household waste recycling station at Richborough and possibly Deal, along with reductions in opening hours at other stations in east Kent have incensed local people.

Martyn Pennington, local Lib Dem Sandwich Town Councillor says: “Not only have the Richborough and Deal sites the benefits of easy access, comprehensive facilities, and helpful staff, they are also central to the whole area.

“Closing the Richborough and Deal recycling centres will mean residents will have to drive to the centre at Whitfield, Dover incurring unnecessary mileage and needless additional carbon pollution.  It will also mean increased fly-tipping, to the detriment of our rural environment, and, sadly, redundancies for staff.

“We are told the scheme is necessary to save money. But the savings would be tiny compared with the total KCC budget. Conservative councillors at KCC are happy to vote for pay increases for themselves and cuts for the rest of us. The financial cost of these cuts will fall partly on DDC, who do the household waste collections, so KCC are just passing the financial buck”.

“Sandwich Town Council is working with neighbouring councils to fight the closure but coming just after the auctioning off by KCC - behind the Town Council’s back - of Sandwich’s old nursery school building, it shows how remote Conservative-led KCC in Maidstone is from what the local people want.

“It seems that KCC, in these latest proposals, are trying to play off Deal and Richborough against each other. We are in touch with the organisers of the Deal campaign to work together.”

Penelope James, Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Dover added: “We are in the middle of climate change. We see the signs all around us. We need to be doing far more to encourage residents to recycle. Closing the Richborough and Deal tips will see us peddling backwards and make it more difficult than it is already to recycle.  These centres provide an important service for our communities and a vital one in our efforts to confront climate change.