SIX of Fife Council's recycling centres, including Cowdenbeath and Lochgelly, will now close for two days a week.

Councillors agreed to the change in opening hours – which will have an affect on jobs – as part of a plan to save £250,000.

Three of the larger centres will also close, for one day a week, while all nine will now shut for 45 minutes at lunchtime.

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, including the Cuddyhouse Road facility in Cowdenbeath and the Cartmore centre in Lochgelly, 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.

Primary sites – Kirkcaldy, Glenrothes and Methil – that deal with a larger tonnage of waste will close for one day a week and secondary centres – Cowdenbeath, Cupar, Dalgety Bay, Lochgelly, Pittenweem and St Andrews – will shut for two days a week.

The closures will be balanced to ensure that no site is closed for two days in a row.

All nine will also close for lunch as Mr Gourlay said sites remaining open all day "causes a health and safety challenge".

He explained: "Staff are permitted to leave the site at lunchtime and this results in most sites operating a lone worker during this period, which is problematic as staff cannot operate machinery by themselves and challenging commercial customers could lead to conflict situations.

"Closing sites for a 45 minute lunch break would ensure that at least two staff members are on site at all times and would avoid these issues."

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

In his report to last week's environment, protective services and community safety committee, Mr Gourlay said: "Fife already provides significantly more recycling centre infrastructure than the majority of Scotland and it is considered that the proposals contained within this report will result in minimal disruption to householders whilst delivering the savings required."

Fife Resource Solutions is the partnership created to run the council's waste services and the transfer of those services led to an £800,000 budget deficit.

The change to the opening hours is the final measure to reduce the deficit.

Mr Gourlay said: "Fife Resource Solutions recognises that some of these changes may result in the existing workforce being required to rotate around sites and will also potentially impact on shift patterns.

"It is recognised that this could potentially lead to resistance from unions and staff.

"It will also lead to additional travel expenses being incurred. Fife Resource Solutions management will engage with staff and the unions to minimise disruption."