The future of Witchford’s household recycling centre will be considered as part of a six-week consultation taking place across Cambridgeshire.

Cambridgeshire County Council needs to make savings of £149 million over the next five years and its recycling service is an area that is under scrutiny.

Residents are being given until September 26 to give their views on how to create an efficient and cost effective recycling service, with closures of some of the county’s nine recycling centres among the options being considered by the council.

Proposals such as charging for certain wastes such as hardcore and plasterboard or reducing weekday opening hours and opening days at sites are also being considered.

Witchford’s recycling centre, in Stirling Way, was opened by Cambridgeshire County Council in 2011 as a replacement for its open air dump at Grunty Fen, costing the authority £5 million.

Cllr Roger Hickford, chairman of highways and community infrastructure said: “We face many financial challenges in the coming months as we try to reconcile making millions of pounds of savings while delivering the services which our residents need. ““We currently have nine household recycling centres in Cambridgeshire which encourage people to recycle – our challenge is to see how we can be smarter with using these centres.

“This may mean charging for taking items which are not classed as ‘household’ waste, changing opening hours or closing centres.

“We have to be radical in our thinking which is why I would encourage residents to take this opportunity to have your say on shaping the future of recycling in Cambridgeshire.”

To get involved in the six week consultation visit www.cambridgeshire.gov.uk/recyclingcentreservice.