Concerns were raised by members at their last full council meeting when they were asked to respond to Surrey County Council’s raft of cost-cutting proposals out to public consultation until January 4, which also include shutting Haslemere’s children’s centre.
Under threat in Surrey’s proposals are 31 children’s centres across the county, up to six “less used” community recycling centres, scrapping some concessionary bus passes and closing some library services.
SCC says the swingeing cuts will help it save more than £200m by 2021. It estimates closing four recycling centres would save at least £500,000 a year and closing six woud save around £800,000 a year.
Witley will continue to operate, but neighbouring residents fear the increased traffic triggered by the proposed closure of the two other nearest facilities will pose increased road safety problems for Rodborough School.
Both Witley and Rodborough are accessed from Rake Lane, a narrow single track road with passing places. Road safety measures were installed when the tip opened, to make it safer for students walking to and from Milford Station, due to the increase in traffic.
Rodborough headteacher Matthew Armstrong-Harris said: “The proposal to close the facilities in Farnham and Cranleigh are of some concern to me. We were reassured when the Witley Recycling Centre was reconfigured in 2012 that there would not be a significant increase in traffic along Rake Lane.
“With a larger population to serve, I do not see how this proposal will have anything other than a significant impact on the amount of traffic using Rake Lane. Consequently, the safety of our students, many of whom use Rake Lane either on foot or by bicycle to access Milford station, is compromised.”
Raising concerns about the proposed closures at Haslemere Town Council, Hindhead ward member Peter Isherwood objected: “Thousands more people travelling to Witley will have an environmental impact and I can see it will lead to a real increase in fly tipping.”
Agreeing, fellow Hindhead ward member Malcolm Carter added: “Waverley Borough Council will pick up the tab for any fly tipping so that won’t worry Surrey County Council.”
The town council has fired off a letter of objection, and town clerk Lisa O’Sullivan wrote: “The closure of Cranleigh tip would have a tremendous impact on the Witley tip, which would be the nearest alternative, with users increasing volumes of traffic along the route, which are generally B roads and country lanes. The residents of Farnham represents approximately 35 per cent of the population of Waverley and therefore need a community recycling centre.
“Should either option be accepted, the only recycling centre in Waverley would be at Witley. What impact would this have on air pollution in the area where we already have problems in both Farnham and Godalming?
“If Surrey County Council closes any community recycling centres totally, fly tipping will surely increase and Waverley are the ones who pay for clearing up the mess at some considerable cost, and that affects all our residents. There would be horrific queues at Witley should they be the only recycling centre in Waverley, there are already cars, on a Sunday, from the school entrance to the bins.
“The town council also commented that questions on your survey regarding the respondents’ ethnicity, gender and employment status, were completely unnecessary in the context of the questions being asked. You may wish to bear this in mind when constructing future questionnaires.”
* Save our Services in Surrey - sosis.org.uk - campaigners against the cuts are holding a protest march ‘Austerity Kills - a Rally for Public Safety’, starting 11am on Saturday, December 15, at Woking Borough Council offices.