FURIOUS campaigners have urged Acomb residents to back their appeal to save a rubbish tip in the area.

City of York Councillors voted to close the Beckfield Lane tip in February as part of budget cuts, but since then a campaign has grown to try to overturn the decision, and some of those who oppose the plans took to the streets this weekend with petitions and leaflets.

Reuban Mayne, who has helped start the campaign, said it would be in the council’s best interest to reconsider the closure.

He said: “Local people are furious. There are no negative responses at all.”

He said the backlash was comparable to that when the council tried to sell the Union Terrace coach park last year, and said: “It’s incredible that Labour are doing this. It would certainly be in their best interest to change their minds, because these people vote, and they won’t forget.”

In 2010/11, Beckfield Lane handled about 2,828 tonnes of waste, as well as 119 tonnes of materials which could have been dealt with through kerbside recycling and 330 tonnes of green waste.

The council decided to shut the tip to save £130,000 over the next two years, as part of an overall £19.7 million cost-cutting programme, as they said modernising it would be too expensive.

Council budget plans aimed to save £100,000 in the first year by closing the tip and £30,000 by selling the site for housing, but critics said the decision to close the site could lead to an increase in fly-tipping, as no alternative facilities would be provided in the area.

Councillor Ann Reid, liberal democrat for Dringhouses and Woodthorpe, said she was “amazed” the tip would be closed without a replacement.

She said: “The people of Acomb and the surrounding area will have to travel much further to dispose of the refuse that can’t be taken by the usual refuse collectors, and that will increase traffic, or people throwing things in black bins which could have been recycled and may lead to fly tipping.”

The petition will be presented to the council by Coun Reid on March 29.

Dafydd Williams, the council’s cabinet member for communities and neighbourhoods, said: “The Government is cutting funding to councils by almost a third and the consequence is closure of council facilities up and down the country. Labour in York prioritised elderly people’s care and looked after children when having to implement £20 million of savings over the next two years.

“This, in conjunction with Labour keeping all libraries, childrens’ centres and leisure centres open, meant a tough decision on Beckfield Lane was needed.”

He said York’s remaining two centres meant it would still compare well with other authorities and said he was looking at options for increasing the capacity of the Hazel Court site.