DULVERTON'S isolated location has helped safeguard the future of its recycling centre.

District councillors were told at a meeting of the full council last week that the centre was a 36-mile round trip from the nearest similar facility, helping to protect it from the threat of closure.

Cllr Anthony Trollope-Bellew, lead member for environment, said the distance was one of the reasons why Dulverton - which has fought off possible closure previously - was being kept open.

Councillors approved Somerset Waste Partnership's (SWP) budget for the coming year - SWP manages waste and recycling services for all local authorities in the county.

Under cost-cutting plans aimed at bridging a £711,900 funding gap in 2014/15, and making total savings of just under £2.3 million over the next four years, recycling centres at Middlezoy and Coleford have been earmarked for closure.

However, five other sites, including Minehead, are set to see their opening hours increased, with a return to seven day working.

Cllr Trollope-Bellew said West Somerset's contribution to next year's budget was set to rise from £1.071m to £1,125m - an increase of £54,000.

"This represents 25 per cent of our budget but we get a very good deal from being part of the partnership," he said.

Cllr Trollope-Bellew said the increase was due in the main to a drop in the amount of household refuse being presented for recycling.

"People are not using their recycling boxes properly and if they did it would save this authority money."

SWP managing director Steve Read said the organisation had "run out of levers to pull" to encourage people to realise the value of recycling.

But it would be running a trial in Taunton Deane, varying kerbside collections and the items collected, which if successful and cost effective could be rolled out in other districts.

With 2014 set to be the first full year of operation for a new anaerobic digester plant at Walpole, near Bridgwater, Mr Read said there would be a drive to promote food processing.

And he said there would also be a West Somerset focused initiative - yet to be finalised - to encourage more recycling because more people in the district were aware of the financial pressures involved.

Mr Read also revealed that West Somerset's contribution to the SWP budget for the coming year would be less than originally thought - £42,000, rather the £54,000 previously proposed.

He said he hoped the longer opening hours at Minehead would have a positive impact on recycling rates.

But he said recycling overall was going down, partly because there was now less packaging on products and people read fewer newspapers.

The longer opening hours and reduction in West Somerset's contribution were welcomed by Cllr Doug Ross.

"I am particularly pleased about the extended hours at Minehead - it is a very heavily used centre," he said.

Council leader Cllr Tim Taylor said councillors should do as much as they could to "get the message out" about the need to recycle.