AS OF Monday Hampshire residents living near to the edge of West Berkshire will no longer be able to use recycling facilities across the county border.

As previously reported in The Gazette, Hampshire County Council has stopped the £200,000 paid to West Berkshire Council to allow residents living in areas near the border to use Newtown or Padworth Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRC).

West Berkshire Council is introducing a permit scheme to limit use of their recycling sites to their residents.

When the restrictions are introduced, Basingstoke and Deane residents will not be able to use them and will be turned away. This comes after news that the county council will introduce charges to use HWRC’s including Wade Road, from October 1.

Even though HWRC’s come under the county council’s control, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council hope the two council’s involved can reach an agreement to avoid residents being affected by a long-term change.

An interim solution is being discussed to provide permits to use West Berkshire sites to those parishes where residents are most affected.

Cabinet member for regulatory services and the environment for the borough council, Cllr Hayley Eachus said: “This seems to be good news.

“However, I must advise all Basingstoke and Deane residents not to try to use the recycling centres in West Berkshire from next Monday.

“I am pleased that, through working together, Hampshire County Council and West Berkshire may have agreed a potential solution for those most affected by the changes.

“The borough council is standing by to put any agreement into action and help with temporary arrangements.”

Executive member for environment and transport at the county council, Cllr Rob Humby added: “The county council has offered to fully fund and support the implementation of a transitional scheme.

“I am, therefore, hopeful that we will soon have a transitional arrangement in place for these residents of North West Hampshire, which doesn’t place an unreasonable burden on council tax payers in the rest of Hampshire.

“I appreciate that West Berkshire’s priority is to put in place a permit scheme for their own residents which comes into effect next week.”