Using North Lincolnshire Councils Household Waste sites have, in the main, been free of charge although there are some charges levied for some disposals made. Across the country councils look to make savings in the light of government spending cuts and one such council has started to charge for using the waste dumps. As from 4 April 2011, Somerset County Council introduced new charges for some materials with four of their centres becoming Community Recycling Sites and it also reduced the hours of opening. Most controversially there has be a �2 entry fee to enter their waste sites, with the exception of their Crewkerne site, which saw a �1.20 entrance fee introduced. Cottage Beck Road Household Recycling Centre Across the country there are numerous councils looking to introduce fees for using their tips, reducing operational hours or close them altogether. A lot of councils are said to be looking at the Somerset model and if it proves a success and people still use the tips in Somerset then other council could well introduce a similar model. It could be looked on as an extra charge to use the tips when they have seemingly already been paid for through peoples council taxes, though would it be preferable to have a small charge and keep the tips open rather than see them close as what residents of Somerset faced. Another problem with charging to use the tips is a possible increase with flytipping. Here in North Lincolnshire the council treats flytipping very seriously and will prosecute anyone caught flytipping waste in the county. The flytipping of waste is a serious criminal offence which carries a fine of up to �50,000. Offenders can even be sent to prison. It is also an offence to permit flytipping. There are some waste services North Lincolnshire Council charge extra for which include the bulky household item service in which they provide only one free collection per property in any financial year (1 April - 31 March) of three items. Any further requests for collections in the same financial year will be charged at �14.35 for up to three items. There is also a charge for brick, rubble and soil disposal at North Lincolnshire Councils waste sites, these are currently; Car charges � �1 per bucket or bag of inert waste � �5 per load of inert waste loose in a car boot Trailer charges The charges are based on three unit sizes of trailer: � Small � Medium � Large. Inert waste in small trailer (anything less than one metre long) �5 Inert waste in medium trailer (between one metre and two metres) �10 Inert waste in large trailer (over two metres long and all double axle trailers) �15 There are two unit sizes of van: � Medium � Large Inert waste in medium van (similar to Escort size) �10 Inert waste in large van (similar to Transit size) �15 With local elections looming there is nothing in the two local leading political group�s manifestos regarding the introduction of charging to use sites in North Lincolnshire. Would residents of Scunthorpe and North Lincolnshire by happy if the Council introduced new charges for using the waste sites based on their own model or that of Somerset, would it see an increase in flytipping and could it result in more people incinerating waste by having bonfires in their gardens?