St Davids’ recycling centre could close or centres across the county see a reduction in hours to “share the pain” of a £70,000 cost reduction in a decision to be made by senior Pembrokeshire councillors today.

Members of Pembrokeshire County Council’s Cabinet, meeting on December 2, are to consider a range of money-saving options for the provision of recycling centres in the county, against a backdrop of a need to save £70,000 from the service, which includes closing the St Davids centre.

Pembrokeshire currently operates six WRCs across the County; Crane Cross, Hermon, Manorowen, St David’s, Waterloo and Winsel, one of the highest levels of provision in Wales.

The council’s medium term financial plan identifies “a ‘most likely’ projected funding gap of £84.6m over the period 2024-25 to 2027-28,” with the council needing to deliver at least £70,000 of savings from the waste and recycling budget

Four options will be presented to Cabinet: no change, with the £70,000 coming from other areas of the service; the closure of St Davids netting the £70,000; its closure along with reductions in the amount of days at other centres to save £110,000; the final option being a reduction in the number of days all were open, but keeping St Davids running, saving the £70,000.

All four options were considered by the Policy and Pre-Decision Overview and Scrutiny Committee on November 12, where it was “acknowledged that the status quo could not continue and a requirement for change was accepted,” the committee favouring the fourth option, described as “sharing the pain,” which is being recommended to Cabinet.

Members at the November meeting heard many objections to the closure of St Davids had been received, with the city council “unanimously” opposed to it.

Nearby local county councillor, Cllr Mark Carter of Solva said he had never seen as many responses to an issue in his seven-and-a-half years as a councillor, proposing the fourth option, later described as “a sharing of pain across all sites” be submitted to Cabinet, which was backed by fellow members.

The report to Cabinet adds: “It was outlined to the committee that, for this option to be recommended, there is also a Capital Investment requirement of £775,000 to undertake the required compliance and infrastructure works across the WRC network in Pembrokeshire.”

Cabinet members are recommended that option one is “not an option which can be selected as this does not provide a service in line with the budgetary requirements,” with the other three options, which all meet the £70,000 savings target on the table for decision next week.