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Crisis talks to save centre


by Faiza Af zaal


CRISIS talks are being held between borough council officials and County Hall to save Clitheroe’s Tourist Infor­


mation Centre from being axed. A huge question mark continues to hang


over the award-winning centre, in Market Street, which was earmarked for closure as part of a cost-cutting plan by the county council. A petition signed by more than 2,000


local residents was sent to Lancashire County Council in the hope of rescuing the facility, but to no avail. Clitheroe TIC is one of three centres


earmarked for closure - the other two being in Chorley and Lytham. Following their recent meeting, cabinet members decided to grant the Chorley centre a surprise reprieve, but there was no such good news for Clitheroe or Lytham. Cabinet member County Coun. Chris


Cheetham, who also has the responsibility for information centres, said: “As things stand, Clitheroe is still down for closure, but the county council wants to talk to Ribble Valley Borough Council and discuss whether or not to offer the services provid­ ed by the TIC from a different venue.” Mr Chris Hughes, community develop­ ment manager for the borough council.


THE centre, above facing the axe, and right, TIC manager Mr David Johns and the peti­ tion opposing closure plans (A110107/1)


said: “We are actively looking at alterna­ tives and we will be meeting Lancashire County Council representatives shortly to discuss the matter.” County Coun. Chris Holtom added:


“There is a slight chance that Clitheroe TIC may be saved. A final decision will be made at the county’s budget meeting on February 14th.”


Information Centre LaitetiSp.!r^


Shock reprieve for Petre tip


A RECYCLING centre, which was under serious threat of closure, has won a 12-month reprieve, but coun­ cillors are warning th a t the depot is not out of the woods yet. There had been outrage


over Lancashire County Council’s plans to close the (Petre) tip, on the A59 Longsight Road, in Langho, as part of its waste manage­ ment budget review. Despite being in an area


that already boasts a kerbside three-stream waste collection service, the tip, which is man­ aged by a contractor, SITA and employs seven people, serves approximately 15,000 people and processes 4,000 tonnes of rubbish a year. In addition 80.5% of the waste taken to the centre last year was recycled. The announcement sparked


controversy in the Ribble Val­ ley with residents in Whalley, Billington and Langho fearing they could end up travelling about 10 miles to the nearest Henthorn Road waste recy­ cling centres in Clitheroe. At the time, Coun. Robert


Thompson, chairman of Rib­ ble Valley Borough Council’s Community Committee,


feared the proposed closure would lead to increased fly­ tipping. Similar concerns were voiced by Coun. Graham Sowter, chairman of Lan­ cashire Waste Partnership, whose Billington and Langho ward includes the Petre site. Now, the county council’s


cabinet has decided to keep the tip open until April 2008, during which time the situa­ tion will be reviewed. The news has been wel­


comed by county and borough councillor Mr Chris Holtom, who said: “I ’m very pleased. At a Lancashire Local Meet­ ing of the Ribble Valley, coun­ cillors voted unanimously against plans to close the well- established recycling centre.” However, Coun. Sowter


wants to see an end to the site’s uncertainty. “If the Lancashire Waste


Partnership is to be a true partnership, then the pro­ posed review must include the views of district councils and have full access to the facts and figures we need to reach a balanced decision. I t would also help if we carried out a survey of public views on the value they attach to the recy­ cling centre.”


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