THE recycling centre at Dalgety Bay will close for two days a week from the start of next month.

Fife Council announced sweeping changes in January – which will see a number of jobs go – with opening hours cut at nine of their facilities.

The aim is to save £250,000 and create a "more efficient service" with the new arrangements starting on April 2.

Dalgety Bay's recycling centre at Ridge Way will be closed on Wednesdays and Fridays.

Environment spokesperson, Councillor Ross Vettraino, said: "Fifers have shown that they are keen recyclers and recycling rates in Fife have always been higher than the national average.

"Reduced budgets mean difficult decisions have to be made and more has to be done with less.

"Kerbside recycling has meant that recycling centres are not as busy as they used to be, particularly during the week, so it makes sense to reduce the opening hours."

Another five of the smaller facilities, at Cowdenbeath, Cupar, Lochgelly, Pittenweem and St Andrews, will also be closed for two days a week.

Primary sites – Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and Methil – that deal with a larger tonnage of waste will close for one day a week.

All nine will shut for 45 minutes at lunchtime – it'll be between 12-12.45pm at Dalgety Bay.

The two recycling centres at the landfill sites, at Dunfermline and Ladybank, will not be affected and will remain open every day and over lunchtimes.

Cllr Vettraino added: "Co-ordinating the opening times by geographical area means that the next nearest centre will always be open when the local centre is closed.

"If the next nearest centre is too far away, however, then the simple thing to do is to wait until the next day or until the weekend."

When the council announced the change in January, Ken Gourlay, head of assets, transportation and environment, said: “The saving will be achieved by a reduction in the workforce through a managing change process.”

The council has 11 recycling centres for the disposal of excess domestic and recyclable waste from Fife households, as well as a commercial waste permit service.

Until now, the centres were open seven days a week and only closed on December 25 and 26 and January 1 and 2.

Their annual running costs are £2.4 million plus £2.38m in landfill tax charges.

Most councils have fewer recycling centres – Glasgow and Edinburgh have four and three respectively – but the joint administration made a manifesto pledge to keep all 11 and backed a change in opening hours instead.