Concerns have been raised that reduced tip opening hours brought on by council cuts may lead to more fly tipping.

In particular, residents of Sedgemoor in Somerset (which has seen the opening hours of several local tips reduced) have reported a new surge in piles of discarded rubbish.

James Lye, owner of Burnham Removals, said: “Give it a couple more months and there will be rubbish everywhere – it’s disgusting.”

Somerset Waste Partnership (SWP) said fly-tipping problems existed before the new recycling arrangements – which have also included new charges for recycling certain items – and that there had not been a significant increase in fly-tipping since.
SWP offered the following information and advice: All 14 Recycling Centres remain free to enter, entry fees are very low at the four additional Community Recycling Sites, only four non-household materials – tyres, gas bottles, soil and hardcore – have charges because council tax subsidies have been removed, and all of our recycling sites are open every Saturday 8am-4pm, Sunday 8am-1pm and Monday 8am-7pm, as well as two further days during the week.