Dorset Council has said it is determined to introduce a new booking system for Swanage recycling centre, along with its other nine tips in the county, despite a protest by thousands of people opposed to it.
Following a meeting of the council’s Cabinet on Tuesday 24th June 2025 Jon Andrews, the council’s cabinet member for place services said he was convinced it was the right way forward to make sure that Dorset’s recycling centres stayed open, efficient and accessible.
Swanage’s household recycling centre is well used, clean and efficient
Last ditch attempt to change policy
Faced with rising operational costs, Dorset Council reviewed a number of cost saving options for its tips, including reducing opening hours, closing sites on certain days, or even permanently shutting down some centres.
It claims that the booking system, which it intends to introduce from autumn 2025, is the most effective way to maintain the current level of service without resorting to more disruptive and unpopular alternatives.
Now one of Swanage’s elected councillors on Dorset Council, Gary Suttle, is leading a last ditch attempt to keep the town’s recycling centre working the way it does at present.
He and Councillor Louie O’Leary, for a ward in Weymouth, will put a motion to the full council meeting on Thursday 10th July 2025, to scrap the proposed blanket tip appointment system and instead look at the situation centre by centre in consultation with ward members and the general public.
Dorset Council councillor Gary Suttle is calling for each recycling centre to be treated on its own merits
“Consider each centre on its own merits”
Gary Suttle said:
“We are asking Dorset Council to consider each recycling centre on its own merits, because it has no evidence of need for a change at Swanage. What they fail to comprehend is that if you invest in a new recycling centre you don’t need an appointment system.
“The only places which need it in Dorset, at Wimborne and Sherborne, are ancient, out of date recycling centres where they have yet to invest.
“The equipment they will put in – automatic number plate recognition – is expensive, needs annual maintenance and there are no savings to be made in Swanage. It runs incredibly efficiently – if it ain’t broke, don’t fix it.
“I will do my absolute best to persuade the council to rethink its policy – the cabinet paper that looked at this says that they would go out to public consultation, but they then decided not to bother.”
Swanage library is the only access many townspeople have to the internet, it is claimed
“Underestimating public opinion”
Gary Suttle added:
“Legally, they can do that, but they are underestimating public opinion. Swanage is up in arms, Wareham is up in arms, Bridport is up in arms, I’ve had literally hundreds of emails about it.
“There are people who don’t have access to the internet except at libraries, elderly people who don’t comprehend this proposed booking system, it excludes the older generation and the council has no idea how many people they are disadvantaging.
“Their response to people who tell them that they don’t have access to the internet is, go and ask a neighbour to do it – and I think that is unlikely to go down well.”
Dorset Council Cabinet member Jon Andrews says the booking system is protecting access to tips
“We are listening to concerns”
Jon Andrews, the council’s cabinet member for place services, said:
“We understand that any change to a valued public service will raise concerns, but this booking system is not about restricting access – it’s about protecting it.
“Other councils have already adopted similar systems with high levels of public satisfaction, and we believe this is the right step to ensure our recycling centres remain open, efficient, and accessible.
“We know this decision hasn’t been welcomed by everyone, and we’re listening to those concerns. But we also have a responsibility to make the best use of public money.
“This booking system allows us to make necessary savings while keeping the same level of service that residents value. It’s a practical solution that protects what matters most.”
Opponents to the booking system say it could increase fly tipping in Purbeck
New system ‘could increase fly tipping’
The council claims that the booking system – which already operates successfully in other areas of the country – will help manage site usage more efficiently, reduce cross-border use, tackle illegal commercial waste abuse, and improve the overall user experience on site.
Opponents say that the council should consult the public on such an important issue, and believe that having to prebook a time slot to use the recycling centre will be impossible for many people and could lead to increased fly tipping.
Thousands of people have already signed a petition against introducing booking, saying that many tips are operating well and challenging the council to show where they believe the savings are at Swanage, Wareham and other efficient tips.
