New figures reveal that councillors went against the public when voting to close all of South Derbyshire's recycling centres, and only a proportion of the borough's households were asked.

Earlier this month, South Derbyshire District Council chose to scrap all of the council's seven recycling centres - including some in the Swadlincote area,

It did not say how many people said they would like to keep them or how many would like them closed for good.

The sites will now shut from October 1, with council officers saying only a small proportion of residents raised any objections about the potential closures.

Officials said "only 1.67 per cent of residents consulted raised any objection to the removal of the recycling centres".

What can now be revealed is that while few people in the district were asked and only very few responded, residents were in favour of keeping the recycling centres.

A total of 13,185 residents in South Derbyshire were asked about the potential closure of the sites, in a district which is home to more than 100,000 people.

These 13,185, it is claimed, were residents who lived in the immediate vicinity of the seven sites, though some living close to the sites did not receive any notice.

The council also did not issue a media release or alert residents on social media.

However, of the 401 residents who responded to the council, 220 said they were in favour of keeping the centres and 172 residents were for their closure.

Looking at each site individually, residents living near five of the seven sites (Station Road, Hatton; Main Street, Hilton; High Street, Melbourne; Ingleby Lane, Ticknall; and Twyford Road, Willington) were in favour of keeping their local recycling centre.

Only the residents living close to the Bass' Crescent site in Church Gresley (by seven votes to six) and Limetree Avenue in Midway (by 50 votes to 10) wanted their centres closed.

A council spokesperson told the LDRS that the consultation "was not a public vote on whether the centres should be closed".

Cllr Grahame Andrew, of Hilton Parish Council, said he is "irritated, annoyed and frustrated" at the decision to close the sites – which he feels was contrary to public opinion.

He said the report detailed that "only 1.67 per cent of residents consulted raised any objection" was "deceitful" and a "half-truth", claiming councillors have been "hoodwinked".

Cllr Andrew said: "What was the point in a consultation in which they have gone with the opposite of what the public has said. It is a waste of money on a consultation they haven't listened to.

"One of the reasons they want to close them is because of the mess that is left behind by so many people using them, and residents wanted them cleaned up more often.

"That isn't solving the problem.

"They are well-used and they are being closed down, it defies logic.

"If no-one was using them, then fair enough, but the major complaint is about the mess. Well they should be looking at ways to solve that problem instead.

"This is a very strange way to operate in a supposedly fair local democracy."

Council officers had said the closure followed "constant" high levels of contamination and anti-social behaviour experienced at the sites, with complaints raised by neighbouring residents.

Officers wrote: "The recycling centres are constantly misused leading to contamination of sites, illegal deposits of waste and the potential for hazardous waste to be inadvertently collected."

They wrote that they hope closing the sites will encourage residents to use their own recycling bins and the household waste and recycling centre in Newhall, run by Derbyshire County Council.

A council spokesperson said: "The consultation exercise, concerning the possible closure of the recycling sites, was undertaken following an extensive review of the recycling service by the council's overview and scrutiny committee assisted by a nationally recognised external consultant, who advised the council that, due to misuse of the sites, they were added little or no value to the council's recycling performance.

"Over 13,000 postcards, with freepost return, were delivered to properties in the vicinity of the recycling centres.

"Of those consulted, only 1.67 per cent raised any objection to the sites being closed.

"This was not a public vote on whether the centres should be closed, but to gauge the strength of public feeling towards the closure, by those most likely to be affected.

"Given that over 12,500 households didn't respond and only 220 households objected, it was reasonable for the committee to approve the recommendation to close the sites.

"It was explained to consultees that the recycling sites had become ineffective due to the contamination of material being deposited.

"It was also explained that the council's kerbside collection of recyclable waste had become a more efficient and cost-effective way of delivering the council's recycling service and targets."

The recycling centres operated directly or on behalf of the council are:

• Bass' Crescent, Castle Gresley
• Station Road, Hatton
• Main Street, Hilton
• Limetree Avenue, Midway (near the Hillcrest Fish Bar)
• High Street, Melbourne
• Ingleby Lane, Ticknall
• Twyford Road, Willington

Derbyshire County Council operates the household waste and recycling centre in Main Street, Newhall.