IT'S RUBBISH - that's the verdict of angry Upton residents who are unable to dump their waste in Poole.

Instead those who live a scant two miles from the town's civic dump, but outside the borough, are faced with a 14-mile round trip to Wareham.

To vent their feelings and persuade the Borough of Poole and Dorset County Council to negotiate an agreement, 25 Upton and Corfe Mullen residents descended on the civic amenity site at the Nuffield Industrial Estate.

Waving placards calling on the council to open its tip to them, some carrying garden waste, they were met by notices and a security guard requesting proof of residence and identity before entry.

"I have been stopped at the gate and only allowed in under sufferance," said George Page, chairman of Lytchett Matravers Parish Council.

"A lot of people work in Poole and shop in Poole and they could drop off their bags and garden waste as they pass here, rather than having to make a special trip to Wareham," he said.

Susan Jefferies, county councillor for Corfe Mullen, who was faced with taking her bag of garden cuttings home again, said her residents had to go to Wimborne and climb steps to dump their rubbish in a skip, which was dangerous for elderly people.

"It sends totally the wrong message to people," said David Budd, Liberal Democrat spokesman on Dorset County Council.

"We are trying to encourage people to recycle and it's ludicrous that we are sending them 14-miles when they could do a four-mile trip."

Protesting residents were supported by MP Annette Brooke who said: "It's ridiculous. I believe local councils are here to serve local residents and they are doing the very opposite of that."

She was concerned that some people might get fed up with the long journey to Wareham and dump the rubbish on the way.

But Upton, Purbeck and county councillor Fred Drane, who organised the protest believed agreement was closer than ever.

Both the Borough of Poole and Dorset County Council put out statements, with the county council warning that any arrangement would have cost implications which could mean Dorset barring Bournemouth residents from its Christchurch recycling centre.

"Our residents should be able to use whichever recycling facility is nearest to home," said Hilary Cox, portfolio holder for environmental services.

Shaun Robson, head of environmental and consumer protection, Borough of Poole said: "While we are hopeful of finding a solutionwe must ensure that Poole residents are not exposed to additional costs."

First published: September 5