RESIDENTS of Westbury and Newnham are being asked to help the Forest Council find an alternative location for their local recycling point, following the closure of the one sited at The White Hart Inn.

It follows an exchange of messages between Jenny Shaw, prospective Labour candidate for Newnham and Westbury, and the Forest of Dean District Council, in which Ms Shaw wrote: "I'm writing to draw your attention to the unacceptable neglect of recycling facilities within Newnham and Westbury.

"The recycling site for paper, plastics and glass that serves the area at the White Hart Inn in Broadoak has disappeared. All that remains is a clothes recycling bin and a growing pile of discarded plastic bottles in place of the former facilities."

The council's Cabinet member for Environment, Cllr Martin Quaile, replied: "It is with regret that we had to remove the recycling facilities at The White Hart Inn at Broadoak, as we were aware that the site was well used.

"However the banks were on private land and the owner of the White Hart requested that they be removed with immediate effect. The reason the owner has given is, that while the district council has always responded to any requests to clear up around the site and remove any fly-tipped items, people are leaving cardboard and other materials at the site and she is having to tidy up daily."

A council spokesman added: "We are currently looking for an alternative site for our Newnham and Westbury recycling facilities and welcome suggestions from local residents.

"In the meantime residents are reminded not to leave domestic recycling at the White Hart site."

The Forest Council has already investigated some potential sites in the area for the re-siting of the recycling bins.

•Meanwhile Tutshill resident Rod Burris expressed dismay that the card and plastic recycling facilities had been removed from the site at the side of the Tesco car park in Chepstow.

Tesco spokesman told Mr Burris: "Due to the recent changes with the local council's (Monmouthshire County Council) approach to recycling, and now that they are recycling more and more, if our recycling centres break down, we are no longer repairing them."

The Forest Council is placing additional recycling bins for residents at Grahamstown Road, Sedbury. It is also consulting Tidenham Parish Council about locating a plastics recycling bin.