WILTSHIRE Council has bowed to pressure about queues and fly tipping since opening times of recycling centres were reduced and has now pledged to open three of them for an extra day a week.

The plan to allow the centres at Stanton St Quintin, near Chippenham, Canal Road, Trowbridge and Churchfields, Salisbury will cost £175,00 and is among a raft of changes to the council's proposed budget that got the backing of cabinet members on Tuesday.

But the final decision will be made by full council on February 21.

The cabinet was told new information about recycling centres had now emerged. A report said: "The latest visitor data, which was not available at the time of projecting the budget, suggests that at the three main sites in Salisbury, Chippenham and Trowbridge there is a need to increase investment to enable an additional opening day.

"This will enable a more regular flow of visitors, and ease any potential issues with traffic queueing on the highways."

But the council's marketing and communications department is facing cuts after the cabinet decided to reduce costs by an extra £175,000 on top of the £200,000 marketing reduction already announced.

The report said: "The additional £175,000 savings in 2017/18 will be found from staff posts, not printing the Your Wiltshire magazine, further reduction in print costs and securing income through digital and other advertising opportunities."

But Visit Wiltshire is likely to be better off as the cabinet agreed that instead of a £100,000 cut in its grant it will only lose £50,000 so it can continue to do its work attracting visitors to the county.

An extra £50,000 will also go to support the work of Wiltshire Parent Careers Council and £100,000 to support the development of Wiltshire Council staff.

Council leader Baroness Scott said: “In putting forward this year’s budget proposals we faced a number of challenges in how we balance the need to protect vital services and provide the support that’s needed for those who are most vulnerable, while having to find savings as a result of increased demand and continuing reduction in government grant funding.

“We are confident that the right balance has been struck and that the amendments outlined today reflect our commitment to invest where investment is most needed and to deliver savings.”

Wiltshire Council spends almost £1bn each year on more than 350 services. In January it was announced that council tax in the county could be increased by almost five per cent after Wiltshire Council announced that there would still be a shortfall of almost £13million in next year’s budget.

A rise of 1.99 per cent for council tax has already been agreed, as has a two per cent levy which will go towards adult and social care.

A further one per cent could also be added to the levy if the proposal is agreed at a full council meeting on February 21.