Petition calls for Fife Council to drop advanced booking at recycling centres

More than 2000 people have backed a petition calling on Fife Council to drop advanced booking at its recycling centres.
Councillors are being asked to review the booking system.Councillors are being asked to review the booking system.
Councillors are being asked to review the booking system.

The measures are currently being reviewed, with members of the council’s Environment and Protective Services sub-committee due to discuss the issue later this month.

A report to councillors notes the current system saves around £0.8-£1.5m per annum and councillors are asked to keep the booking system in place.

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The petition was launched by Councillor Linda Holt, who said other local authorities in Scotland had dropped the booking system and reverted to the old drop-in system.

Cllr Holt said the sudden surge in support for the petition showed how ‘out of touch' Fife Council officers are.

She added: “In only 48 hours, public support for scrapping the booking system has outstripped the support officers claim their survey found for keeping it. Bear in mind they only asked visitors to the recycling centres who had already successfully used the booking system; the thousands of people put off by having to make an appointment didn't get a say.

“The public has seen through the council's self-serving report. There is real anger that the Council is using Covid as an excuse to cut essential public services."

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Head of Fife Council's Assets, Transportation and Environment Service Ken Gourlay confirmed that the council is reviewing the booking system and all of the other measures currently in place, in consultation with users of Fife's recycling centres.

He added: "These measures were put in place to protect our staff and members of the public and have been kept under close review as the pandemic continues.”