PERMITS for residents of Bracknell, Wokingham and Reading to use recycling centres are meant to help crackdown on unauthorised use.

The move comes after West Berkshire Council slashed its £500,000 subsidy to cover the cost of its residents crossing the border to use re3 facilities.

As a result the waste management firm has decided to limit use of all its facilities to those who live in the areas which fund them through their council tax bills.

From July 1 only residents in Bracknell Forest, Wokingham and Reading will be permitted to get rid of their waste at re3 locations.

In the same announcement from re3 a crackdown on “unscrupulous traders” is also set to be introduced.

Cllr Dorothy Hayes MBE, of Bracknell Forest Council and chair of the Joint Waste Disposal Board, said: “The introduction of ID and visitor permit scheme has been prompted by West Berkshire Council’s decision to end the joint agreement they had with re3.

“It would not be fair to ask re3 residents to pay, via their council tax, for the disposal of the waste of those who live outside the re3 area.”

Households in the re3 area will be able to gain free entry into the sites as usual using the sticker permits – which can be easily transferred from one vehicle to the other. People who forget their pass can still gain entry with alternative forms of ID but residents are urged not to rely on this as it could lead to heavy delays at peak times.

It is hoped later in the year a charge system can be introduced to allow those living outside the area to use the facilities.

Around 15 per cent of those who currently use Smallmead are residents of West Berkshire.

People living in West Berkshire who currently use the Smallmead site will be turned away after the scheme is introduced and are recommended to use the Veolia-run centres in Padworth or Newbury instead.