None of the household waste and recycling centres in south west Hertfordshire should close, according to the county council’s waste management committee - but hours need to be slashed.

The Highways and Waste Management Cabinet Panel decided yesterday to recommend dramatic reductions to the opening hours of 17 recycling sites in the county, including the site at St Albans and Harpenden.

The cross-party panel discussed the findings of a recent consultation on changes, proposed by new contractor AmeyCespa, to Hertfordshire’s recycling centres.

Panel members voted unanimously to accept councillor Terry Douris’ proposals which mean that St Albans could open from 10am until 6pm in the summer and from 8am until 4pm in the winter – and close on Tuesday and Wednesday.

Harpenden will have the same opening hours but will close on Thursdays and Fridays.

During the panel discussions, County Councillor Sandy Walkington questioned why St Albans had been singled out to change its opening hours.

The liberal democrat parliamentary candidate, who sits on the panel, said: "Yesterday's decision was a glass half full, a glass half empty.

“The Conservatives caved in on shutting any of the sites completely and they recognised the common sense of moving to later opening hours on the days when the sites will be open.

"Their minds were certainly concentrated by the 701 signatures on the St Albans petition and the many hundreds of signatures on other petitions across much of the county.

"But we still need to challenge why they have singled out the St Albans site for closure at 4 pm in winter when it is clear people prefer later hours. We should also be investigating whether there could be late opening on one day a week within the constraints of single shift working. 

"St Albans residents were dumb-founded at the crude approach to cuts, with the obvious risk of more fly-tipping and less recycling increasing costs elsewhere simply for the sake of a headline saving."

The county-wide consultation returned a number of objections to closing the sites and reducing opening hours. 

The panel further recommended that the Elstree site, which the county council consultation last month initially proposed closing completely, should also be closed on Tuesdays and Wednesdays but remain open the rest of the week.

It suggested opening hours of 8am to 4pm on weekdays and 9am to 4pm on Saturdays and Sundays, with a summer extension of hours to 6pm.

The proposals were a bid to save £750,000 each year. But Leavesden Councillor Stephen Giles-Medhurst said the new plans, which keep the sites open, make the same savings.

Terry Douris, cabinet member for highways and waste management, said: “The consultation responses have confirmed that residents are, in particular, reluctant to see any site closed. In light of this, the Panel has recommended that no site is closed entirely.

"Councillors also debated proposed changes to opening hours and days. It is anticipated that these changes to the service will result in savings of £6m over the next eight years.”

The recommendations will be considered by the Hertfordshire County Council Cabinet on Monday, who will make the final decision.