The County Council’s Cabinet has decided to postpone the closure of the Dorking Tip until 1 October 2019.

The reprieve came as Hazel Watson, Liberal Democrat County Councillor for the Dorking Hills, formally presented a petition to the Cabinet Meeting calling the Dorking Tip to be kept open for at least 3 days per week, and preferably for 7 days, per week. The petition had been signed by more than 2,000 residents.

However, even with this reprieve, the Dorking Tip will be restricted to only accepting recyclable material and it will still be closed in the Autumn unless a way of operating the Tip can be identified which will allow the County Council to make a similar level of savings to the savings that will be achieved by closing it.

We are pleased that the Dorking Tip has been saved from closure at least for the time being and believe that the petition, signed by more than 2,000 local residents, has sent a strong message to the County Council that the facility is highly valued by the local community.

We are disappointed with the downside of the decision which means that only recyclable materials will be accepted at the Dorking Tip whilst its future is considered as residents who want to dispose of non-recyclable materials will have to go to the Leatherhead Tip. This is too far for many residents in southern Mole Valley to travel and the additional traffic generated by those who go to the Leatherhead Tip will add to the traffic congestion on local roads.

We will continue to lobby the County Council to retain the Dorking Tip on a permanent basis and for the Tip to accept non-recyclable materials so that local residents in southern Mole Valley will continue to have a local tip within a reasonable distance of where they live.

Unfortunately, the threat of closure of the Dorking Tip remains and thus the battle to save the Dorking Tip, and for the Dorking Tip to open seven days a week, will continue whilst the County Council considers its future.