TROWBRIDGE residents will be aware of the traffic chaos on Canal Road, particularly at weekends, caused by the decision of Wiltshire Council’s Conservative administration to cut the opening times of the Household Recycling Centre (HRC). When I queried this decision last year I was told that queues were expected to go down as people got used to the reduced hours, and that the situation would be “kept under regular review”.

The problem seems instead to have got worse, but the administration has now come up with what it sees as a clever way to cut the queues – charging charities for using the tip. In their own words, “there will be additional benefit to Wiltshire householders, as queues at many of the HRCs would be expected to reduce as the larger vehicles, favoured by many of the VCSE organisations, would no longer be competing for space at the sites”.

VCSE is council-speak for charities and voluntary groups. Those most affected are charities with shops where unsaleable goods have to be disposed of. The fee will be £44 for six visits per year, or £70 for up to 12 visits. Some schools and housing associations will also be expected to pay. The charges start in September, and the council expects to make £40,000 over the next financial year.

Clearly the costs saved by the council will be shunted onto the charities and will have an impact on the good work they do. This is another poor decision by WC, and I suspect it won’t actually affect those queues.

Trevor Carbin, Wiltshire Councillor for Holt & Staverton, Church Street, Hilperton