Labour's candidate to be the next MP for Ilkley and Keighley has called for a deal to be done that would allow Ilkley and Addingham residents to use the tips in Otley and Skipton when Ilkley's closes.
John Grogan - who was the MP for the constituency between 2017 and 2019 - has also said Bradford Council should 'mothball' the Golden Butts site in Ilkley, so that it could be reopened again at a later date.
Mr Grogan highlighted that residents of Burley in Wharfedale and Menston are already able to use the Leeds City Council-run household waste recycling centre at Ellar Ghyll, which is a matter of yards from the border between the two council areas.
With the closure of Golden Butts, Ilkley and Addingham residents will otherwise need to use the Keighley tip, which will also see extra usage with the closure of the Sugden End facility at Cross Roads.
John Grogan said: "In the wake of the decision to close Golden Butts, given the financial circumstances of Bradford Council, we now need to put aside the blame game and try and chart a way forward. I would urge Bradford and Leeds Councils to examine whether they can do a deal to allow Bradford residents to use Ellar Ghyll. It may be that discussions could also be held with North Yorkshire County Council regarding the use of Skipton Waste recycling centre.
"Some residents have asked me whether Golden Butts could be kept open and residents asked to pay a small charge for the service provided. The current Government clarified the law in 2015 that local taxpayers should not be charged for disposing of household waste at civic amenity sites - scrapping what were called backdoor’ tip taxes ‘. This policy was designed to encourage recycling but removed the discretion of local councils."
The Local Government Association recently warned that banning councils from being able to charge households to leave DIY waste at recycling centres could mean tip closures and reduced hours in some council areas.
Mr Grogan says he has urged Bradford Council's chief executive to consider mothballing the tips at both Golden Butts and Sugden End, so that they 'can be reopened at a future date in a different financial and political climate.
He added "I am advised that the government’s recent decision to allow Bradford Council to borrow and sell off assets to avoid bankruptcy was conditional on strict financial monitoring by the government of Bradford’s published plans and that any deviation from them and decision to mothball has to be seen in this context. The Department of Levelling Up, Housing and Communities has insisted on monthly meetings with the council for this purpose .
"I would hope all local political representatives would urge the Department to indicate that they would be open to the mothballing of the waste centres due for closure in Bradford, given that we are in a general election year and government policies may change as a result."