TIPS in Reading and Bracknell will reopen soon after closing for the coronavirus lockdown.

Re3 Smallmead and Long Lane recycling centres were shut in March when the government brought in the social distancing measures to combat the spread of Covid-19.

But there are concerns that because the tips are shut, people are fly-tipping more.

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The tips are run by Reading Borough Council, Bracknell Forest Council, and Wokingham Borough Council, as well as company FCC Environment — and the team is currently looking at ways to reopen the recycling centres while still abiding by the social distancing rules.

Councillor Parry Batth (Con, Shinfield North), lead for environment at Wokingham Borough Council, said: “We are working on it as we speak to have these centres open again.

“We’re working on various options to look at how we can do social distancing and allow people to come to the sites in an orderly fashion. We will hopefully announce the news very soon.”

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He was answering a question from Cllr Tahir Maher (Lib Dem, Maiden Erlegh) at a virtual meeting of the executive on March 22.

Cllr Maher said: “I know that supermarkets are providing a necessary service while social distancing. Can we not take their lead and apply similar social distancing rules in Re3?

“Or do we need assistance from the government, if it needed to be country-wide?”

Cllr Batth said: “There is a risk that [fly-tipping] could increase, but we hope that residents will continue to ensure that their waste is disposed of appropriately, until the recycling centres can be reopened.

“We are pleased to confirm that all of our other waste collection services are operating normally and we are delivering garden waste bins and bags.”