A WILTSHIRE councillor has criticised plans to change the opening hours of a waste recycling plant in Purton as part of cost-cutting measures.

In an effort to save £300,000 Wiltshire Council is proposing to reduce opening hours to 10am to 4pm and for it to open for five days instead of seven.

Bob Jones (Lib Dem, Crickland and Latton) said: “We should be recycling generally, if people go and it is closed what are they going to do with it?”

He explained that his party’s proposal to increase the council tax precept by 1.9 per cent was a better way to save cash, but the plan was rejected earlier this year.

“My group wants to increase the precept by a small amount so that all these services will remain,” he said.

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: “Flytipping levels will be carefully monitored following the implementation of any changes, though as there are no plans to permanently close any sites, it is not expected to lead to a major increase in illegal behaviour.”

A decision on the proposals is expected at the end of this month.