Council officials are to consider reducing the opening hours at a number of recycling centres across Hertfordshire, as part of plans designed to cut costs.

Currently the county council operates a network of 16 recycling centres – taking in a range of materials that include wood, metal, plastics, garden waste and glass.

Four of those centres – in Stevenage, Ware, Waterdale (Garston) and Welwyn Garden City – are currently open seven days a week, with the remainder open five days a week.

But cost-cutting options highlighted as part of the county council's budget-setting process include reducing the opening hours of the four centres to five days a week.

They also include the possible introduction of a booking system for recycling centres.

The options – highlighted in the council's draft budget document – are part of a package of measures that could cut the county council's waste costs by an estimated £300k a year.

According to the document – known as the Integrated Plan – a booking system at recycling centres could also reduce queueing times, vehicle idling and wasted journeys.

And it could, it says, encourage householders to aggregate materials to take to the centres – reducing the trips.

But the document stresses that there could also be alternative ways to deliver the same level of financial efficiencies.

And it says that these efficiencies would be subject to comprehensive public consultation, before any decision was to be made.

In a statement issued by the county council, executive member for the environment Cllr Eric Buckmaster said detailed proposals would be developed and consulted on before any changes were implemented.

He said: "A lot of other local councils operate a booking system for their recycling centres, where residents have to book a slot to visit a centre.

"And we are looking into whether a similar system would help us operate our recycling centres more efficiently.

"A booking system could help ensure staff have time to help customers, and mean reduced queuing times and fewer wasted journeys as access would be guaranteed.

"However, we will develop detailed proposals and consult the public on these before making any decision.

"We're also looking at potentially changing the opening hours at the four recycling centres that are currently open seven days a week, to bring them into line with the five day a week opening of the other sites.

"We will consult the public before making any decision on this, but we would intend to keep all sites open at weekends, and ensure that opening days are staggered to ensure there's always a nearby site open among our 16 recycling centres across Hertfordshire."

The options are included in £42m of savings that will have to be found by the council as part of its £1.184bn spending plans next year (2025/26).

Earlier this week (January 15) the council's draft budget – which includes £42m savings, an increase in Council Tax and the use of £3m of council budget reserves – was backed by a meeting of the cabinet.

That document will now be subject to six weeks of scrutiny and public consultation before a meeting of the full council – scheduled for February 25 – will be asked to determine the 2025/26 budget.