PEOPLE who live outside Dorset will be charged to use the county’s household recycling centres under new plans announced by the council.

The authority says a booking system will be introduced at four sites – Dorchester, Wimborne, Shaftesbury and Sherborne – with non-Dorset residents required to pay a fee to dispose of their waste.

Dorset Council said the change was needed to ensure local taxpayers were not subsidising waste from neighbouring areas, with significant amounts of rubbish at the Shaftesbury and Sherborne sites currently coming from outside the county.

A council spokesperson said this was costing Dorset taxpayers more than £100,000 a year.

Under the proposals, Dorset residents will still be able to use the centres free of charge but will need to book a time slot in advance.

The council said the booking system would help manage demand, reduce queues and cut vehicle idling on surrounding roads, which it said would also lower emissions.

The impact on residents living near the county boundary was discussed at a South West Wiltshire Area Board meeting on Wednesday (February 4).

Cllr Bridget Wayman for Nadder Valley requested the item, telling the meeting that around 20% of recycling at the Shaftesbury Household Recycling Centre comes from Wiltshire residents, many of whom live in villages surrounding the town and contribute to its local economy.

Papers presented to the meeting said Dorset Council plans to introduce a charge of £8.50 per visit for non-Dorset residents from November 3.

Wiltshire residents who currently use the Shaftesbury site would face the choice of paying the fee or making longer journeys to Wiltshire’s own household recycling centres in Warminster or Salisbury.

Some councillors raised concerns that longer travel distances could discourage people from recycling altogether.

Wiltshire Council officers told the meeting that charging for out-of-county visits to recycling centres had become increasingly common as councils face ongoing budget pressures.

They also confirmed that Wiltshire Council has agreed proposals to introduce charges for household waste brought in from outside the county from 2026/27.

Officers said discussions between Wiltshire and Dorset councils about cross-border arrangements were still at an early stage and would feed into a wider review of household recycling centre provision.

They added it would not be appropriate to set up a special arrangement with one neighbouring council at additional cost, particularly as similar restrictions could affect Wiltshire residents in other border areas.

Dorset Council said residents living near the boundary would still be able to use its facilities but would need to book in advance and pay the required fee if they live outside the Dorset Council area.

The council also sought to address concerns that the booking system and charges could lead to an increase in fly-tipping.

It said evidence from other councils that already operate similar systems showed no link between booking requirements and higher levels of illegal dumping, adding that the situation would be monitored once the system is introduced.