CONCERNS over an increased risk of flytipping have been made following proposals to charge for the removal of bulky waste.

Cllr Mohammed Iqbal, leader of Pendle Council, said he was worried about the problems charging to remove bulky waste would bring to the borough, if it was passed at a committee meeting next week.

If given the go ahead, the council will charge £10 to remove large items.

This charge would form part of a series of cuts the council will have to make as it predicts it will have to save £3.3million in three years due to reduced budgets.

Cllr Iqbal said the council has been putting off charging to remove bulky items for years.

He said: "This is something that I and the council do not wish to impose on the people of Pendle.

"However we've been hit by so many cuts, cuts that will continue so if we want to provide the service efficiently, we will have to charge.

"I am very concerned about what problems this may bring, despite being at the bottom end of charges it will still have an impact financially.

"It may also lead to more fly tipping, which I cannot stress is something we do want to happen.

"The problem lies with the government, they expect us to cut but its us who have to think of the solutions to get by."

In 2018/19 the council needs to make ongoing savings of at least £714,000 in addition to the savings of £379,000 already made in next year’s budget.

Further savings of around £2.6m would have to be made by 2020/21.

Cllr Tony Greaves, deputy leader of the council, who oversees the council’s finances said: "The government is again slashing our grants and councils, like ours in the North of England, are among the worst hit.

"We’re looking at different ways to cut our spending and raise our income, but we’re now very close to being forced to stop doing some quite important things.”

The meeting will take place on Thursday, December 14.