A PETITION has been launched against plans that could see seasonal closures or cuts to opening times at a city tip.

City of York Council is considering whether to change the operation of the Towthorpe waste recycling centre as part of moves to reduce its waste budget by £580,000.

The authority’s Labour cabinet this week agreed to hold a consultation on the issue.

Options are to reduce the tip’s opening hours, close it on weekdays, close it completely between October and March or only open it on weekends during winter.

Opposition parties claim this would affect York’s recycling levels and cause the city to miss its landfill tax targets, following the closure of Beckfield Lane tip last year.

Paul Doughty and Sian Wiseman, Conservative councillors for Strensall – whose ward includes the Towthorpe site – have now appealed for support for the petition, which is also being backed by fellow local Tory councillors Tony Richardson and Joe Watt.

Coun Doughty said at a City of York Council cabinet meeting that his party and residents would “not accept any erosion” to waste services.

He said: “We are extremely concerned this may lead to closure in the future and we will be campaigning strongly against it, as it could have a really detrimental effect on the local environment and the city meeting landfill financial penalties, which could well outstrip any savings.”

Coun Wiseman said Towthorpe tip was an “essential service for a sizeable population in the north and east of the city”. The petition has been placed on the council’s website and the councillors said they would also be running a paper petition.

The consultation, also covering potential charges for green waste collections, begins today and runs until March 14, and is available at york.gov.uk/consultation

It will also include 500 phone interviews with residents and face-to-face sessions at the waste centre, with results and recommendations going before the cabinet in spring.

Labour has said a review of waste services is “essential” in the face of Government funding cuts.