Tips could close for two days
WASTE and recycling centres in Skelmersdale and Burscough could soon close two days a week.
Lancashire County Council is responsible for waste disposal, and is considering drastically cutting opening hours at the centres as part of a £734,000 costcutting exercise.
A county council report proposed reducing opening times at the least busy centres, with Burscough included as it processes less waste than all but two other centres in the county. Although Skelmersdale does not fall into this category, it is still earmarked to close two days each week as it is argued that West Lancashire does not need two centres.
If the changes, which could result in redundancies, go ahead then the closure days will be staggered between Skelmersdale and Burscough so that one is open each day.
Opening hours for all centres in Lancashire are also set to be shortened.
The current hours are 8am-7pm during April to September and 8am-5pm during October to March but this would change to 9am-5pm all year round.
Steve Scott, county council head of waste management, said: “The proposals being presented for consideration by Friday’s internal scrutiny committee aim to make a significant saving by improving efficiency in the way our household waste recycling centres operate.
“Lancashire’s HWRCs provide an extensive service in comparison with other councils, so there is scope to make savings by aligning opening days and hours more closely with the way people use them, ensuring they are open at the busiest times, but closing them when there is less demand.”
The proposals will be discussed at the county council internal scrutiny committee on Friday.