A last-ditch attempt is being made to save Shropshire’s community skips from the axe. Shirehall leaders are due to make a decision tomorrow.

The Shropshire Council cabinet is recommended to scrap the service, which operates in the former south and north districts of the county.

The move will save the authority £47,000 a year but Lib Dem opposition councillors are hoping to persuade the cabinet not to go ahead with the plan, which they warn will mean people having to travel longer distances to get rid of their waste.

They also fear there will be more countryside fly-tipping if the service ends.

Peter Phillips, Lib Dem group deputy leader, said today: “This mobile skip service is highly valued by residents in rural Shropshire as it provides the only means by which many communities can easily dispose of bulky items.

“The amount to be saved from this measure would be small and the increase in the carbon footprint massive, as residents have to journey significant distances, to Sh- rewsbury or Craven Arms, to dispose of bulk items.

“The council has also ign- ored the likelihood of incre- ased fly-tipping by the less scrupulous. Indeed Powys has recently adopted a similar scheme to the community skips to successfully combat this nuisance.”

Shirehall watchdogs have voted in favour of ending the service.

A report to cabinet says the council has provided recycling centres in each of the five former districts.

It says waste contractor Veolia is concerned that at busy times at the community skip sites, there are he- alth and safety risks and little can be done to prevent illegal disposal of trade and industrial waste.

The Lib Dems have called for the community skips service to be extended.