You last week reported that the leader of East Hampshire District Council was dismayed by threatened Hampshire County Council cuts that include closure of Petersfield and Bordon household waste and recycling centres.

Like him we are dismayed and worried about the impact on efforts to increase recycling. Like him we urge local residents to make their views known in the public consultation at https://www.hants.gov.uk/News/08012024Future

But, unlike the (Conservative) district council leader and his coalition partner deputy, we see no need to be coy about saying where responsibility lies.

These threatened cuts, that also affect library, culture and other community services as well as the tips, are the direct result of the £132 million black hole in the budget of (Conservative) Hampshire County Council which in turn has been caused by a gap in funding from the (Conservative) Government of which our local (Conservative) MP is a member.

Do we need any more evidence that it is time for change?

Letter co-signed by:

David Podger, Liberal Democrat councillor for Petersfield St Peters, East Hampshire District Council, and

Dominic Martin, Liberal Democrat Prospective Parliamentary Candidate for East Hampshire