RUBBISH tips will remain closed across West Cheshire despite some beginning to reopen in other parts of the country due to concerns over a rise in fly-tipping and surplus household waste.

Cheshire West and Chester Council says it has not seen an increase in the levels of fly-tipping since the coronavirus lockdown.

The authority also confirmed that garden waste collections will remain suspended due to staff shortages, adding that its priority is to maintain recycling and domestic waste.

Household waste recycling centres across the country closed at the end of March – but some are beginning to reopen due to an increase in fly-tipping and the amount of waste being accumulated by households during the lockdown.

Tips in Wigan reopened with restrictions last week, while centres in Greater Manchester, Reading and Bracknell will start to partially reopen over the next fortnight.

However, Cheshire West and Chester Council has confirmed its centres will remain shut and urged residents to try and "minimise waste and store larger items safely in a secure place" until they reopen.

Councillor Karen Shore, Deputy Leader of Cheshire West and Chester Council and Cabinet Member for Environment, Highways and Strategic Transport, said: "All household waste recycling centres (HWRC) in the borough will remain closed until further notice following Government guidance on non-essential travel and social distancing.

"Travelling to a HWRC is not currently classed as an essential journey and the Council is asking people to store their excess waste as safely as possible until HWRCs re-open.

"Residents are being asked to try to minimise waste and store larger items safely in a secure place until then. We recognise that this may be difficult for some people, the Covid 19 pandemic is affecting some services we deliver and we are asking residents to bear with us as our staff work around the clock to deliver support to our most vulnerable residents.

"The Council continues to monitor all Government guidance on HWRCs, and in partnership with our HWRC contractor, sites will only open when appropriate to do so. The borough hasn't seen any increase in levels of flytipping during this period.

"Our garden waste service will continue to be suspended at this time and vehicles and staff used to support and maintain the kerbside recycling and waste collection services due to staff shortages. Maintaining residents' recycling and domestic waste collection services remains our priority."