ABINGDON’S Abbey Meadow pitch and putt golf course is set to be closed as part of a package of £660,000 council spending cuts.

Liberal Democrat-run Vale of White Horse District Council plans to close the Abbey Close facility to save £9,000 a year.

The planned cuts, which the public are being invited to comment on, also include: l Closing three ‘superloos’ in Wantage and Abingdon from April 2012 to save £40,000 a year.

l Increasing charges for household garden waste collections to bring in an extra £28,000 a year. No specific figure for the increase has been given.

l Removing 25 mini-recycling sites at locations including supermarkets, to save £28,000 a year.

l Closing the pest control service, to save £24,760.

Most of the pitch and putt course savings are thought to come from the bill for cutting the grass.

Town council member Martin Smith said: “I used to play pitch and putt with my children when they were small and I think it would be a shame for the people of the town and visitors if the facility is cut.

“Lots of people from the town, and visitors and boaters use the area, particularly in the summer, so I think this would be a very unfortunate decision.”

Former Wantage mayor Patrick O’Leary said it was short-sighted to cut the small community recycling sites, such as the one at the town’s Sainsbury’s supermarket.

He added: “So many people use it that it’s often overflowing and my concern is that the waste will now be dumped in the back streets.”

However, the council says most residents now use the doorstep recycling service.

Matthew Barber, leader of the district council’s Conservative group, said: “Local government can’t be immune to the cuts but I think more backroom services could be cut, instead of the frontline services.

“I would urge people to get involved in the consultation process now, because there’s no point complaining after a service has been cut.”

The 20p-a-time superloos are at Post Office Lane, Wantage, Hales Meadow car park in Abingdon and West St Helen Street, Abingdon. One in Millbrook Square, Grove, will stay open. All were opened in 1997.

Richard Webber, the council’s executive member for finance, said: “We have managed to keep the impact to our services as low as possible.

“Despite having to make significant savings year on year, we will continue to work to improve the district’s economy, support all our residents and provide outstanding value for money.”

The move comes after the council’s support from the Government was cut by 16 per cent for next year. It expected £6.6m but will get £5.6m.

Public consultation on the plans runs until February 3 next year. A final decision will be taken on February 23.

For full details of the cuts, see whitehorsedc.gov.uk/ haveyoursay or write to Budget Consultation, Vale of White Horse District Council, Abbey House, Abbey Close, Abingdon, OX14 3JE.

In neighbouring South Oxfordshire, which shares managers with Vale of White Horse, the district council’s leader Ann Ducker has pledged not to make cuts totalling £960,970, despite public consultation being launched on the plans.

Mrs Ducker said the council would draw on part of its £27m of financial reserves instead of making cuts in services.