EAST Lothian councillors have decided, at a private meeting, to close a recycling centre for good after being told that it was “surplus to requirements”.

Nearly 2,000 people signed a petition demanding the Macmerry centre be reopened after it was mothballed a year ago.

However, councillors were asked on Tuesday by their officers to shut it down, resulting in a saving of about £62,000 a year.

The local authority has three other recucling sites: at North Berwick; Dunbar; and Kinwegar, Wallyford.

Discussions over the proposal were held behind closed doors due, the council said, to “commercially sensitive” information surrounding the disposal of the site.

Following the decision, which it is understood was passed by a majority of 17 votes to three, with the Conservatives opposing the decision, Councillor Norman Hampshire (Lab), council leader, said: “This was a very tough decision to take.”

READ MORE: Petition to re-open recycling centre rejected

He added: “East Lothian receives one of the lowest funding settlements per head of population in Scotland. With rising costs and less money available to us overall, the council has had to look at ways of reducing costs in the face of an extremely difficult financial climate.

“We are grateful to residents for their understanding since the site at Macmerry was mothballed.

“Although I know that many people would have preferred to see the recycling centre at Macmerry stay open, we continue to operate facilities elsewhere, in addition to our household uplift services, including the weekly recycling collection service.

“We hope that the ultimate disposal of the site within the industrial estate will result in benefits for the local economy.”