Gosport launches £47k plan to introduce free community skips to tackle fly-tipping increases

Proposals for community skips were brought to the first service board meeting since the Liberal Democrats won a majority in the Gosport Borough Council local elections.

The scheme was met with strong opposition from Conservative councillors, one of which labelled it ‘an absolute load of rubbish’.

The service will provide three skips in different locations across the borough for residents to dispose of household items – the skips will be delivered weekly and will cost an estimated £45,570 annually.

Councillor Peter Chegwyn, leader of the council, said: ‘Anything that takes more rubbish away without it being dumped in backways or wasteland or public playgrounds as currently happens has got to be a good thing.

‘This council has the ninth-worst recycling record in the entire country – so anything that improves that has to be welcomed.

‘Make it easier for the community who told us repeatedly through the elections that they want a cleaner, greener Gosport and we are determined to make that happen.’

However, Conservative councillor Stephen Philpott told the board the scheme is contrary to commitments made in the Joint Municipal Waste Management Strategy – a Hampshire-wide waste disposal partnership made of 14 councils.

He added the scheme could result in the council having a higher carbon footprint, that it’s discriminatory towards elderly and disabled people and that it’s ‘extremely expensive’.

‘There would be a risk of more fly-tipping not less,’ Cllr Philpott said.

‘For instance, there wasn’t a replacement skip available when one was full - they will then be left with that material - they will take their own view as to what they’re going to do with it.

‘It’s an absolute load of rubbish, I don't think anyone with any common sense could support this.’

The news follows a surge in fly-tipping across the area.

During 2021, the number of fly-tipping incidents boomed by 49 per cent compared to the previous year.

Similar large rises were recorded in neighbouring Fareham and Havant, which saw 38 and 21 per cent rises, respectively.

The increase was blamed on the closure of local tips during lockdown, with England seeing a 16 per cent increase in fly-tipping.