RECYCLING chiefs have pledged to investigate a range of options aimed at averting the closure of Dulverton's household waste recycling centre.

Town and parish councillors from the surrounding area met representatives of the Somerset Waste Partnership and contractors Viridor at a special meeting in Brushford this week.

And the talks, arranged by local Somerset county councillor Frances Nicholson, produced a number of community inspired ideas for generating savings that might lift the threat of closure.

The centre - the smallest in Somerset - is one of four sites earmarked for possible closure before next April as part of major cost-cutting measures announced by the county council last month.

A further four, as yet unidentified centres, are also under threat as the authority attempts to deliver £43 million of cuts across all services.

SWP managing director Steve Read said the meeting had been positive but it was too early to say if a solution would be found.

The closure of the site would save the county council £76,000 a year and among the options being considered are charging users of the centre - although the law currently prohibits Somerset residents from having to pay.

Reducing opening hours and looking at "novel" ways of operating the site - possibly with community involvement - are also being considered.

Mr Read said the meeting with local councillors had not been hostile.

"The community rightly asked searching questions and we were closely questioned and challenged," said Mr Read.

"But equally, people appreciate the situation we are facing. None of us wants to see the Dulverton site closed and we are hopeful that something will come out of this process.

"But it is a tricky one and there are no guarantees that a final solution will be found."

Just days before the meeting around 100 local people had lined the streets of Dulverton for a protest march.

Campaigners have also launched a petition and are bombarding Cllr Nicholson and local MP Ian Liddell-Grainger with letters objecting to the threatened closure of the centre.

Mr Read said a response to the suggestions that had been put forward would be given before Christmas.

Similar meetings are due to be held with local communities at the three other sites earmarked for closure, none of which is in West Somerset.