Workers at household waste recycling centres say they feel they have been “punched in the guts” after only finding out they are likely to have to work reduced hours by reading it in the news. A representative of some of the staff told us no one from the council had warned them that some of the centres - all run by private firm Suez, which employs the workers – face being closed two days a week.

It was announced yesterday that nine of Cornwall’s 14 Household Waste Recycling Centres (HWRCs) are likely to no longer open seven days a week in a bid by Cornwall Council to save £200,000 a year. The council’s ruling cabinet has recommended the decision as part of almost £50-million of savings it needs to make in its 2025/26 budget.

If the cuts are approved by full council, Bodmin, Bude, Connon Bridge (near Liskeard), Helston, Newquay, Redruth (Pool), St Day (United Downs), Tintage (Bowithick) and Truro would all see their opening hours reduced from seven days a week to five days.

Centres at Launceston, Saltash, St Austell, Falmouth and St Erth will “initially” remain open seven days a week but will be “subject to further modelling and future consideration”. All HWRCs would still open at weekends. The news comes after a booking system was introduced at a number of the HWRCs, a move which has proved unpopular with some residents.

A member of staff at one of the affected centres contacted us to say how bewildered colleagues only found out about the proposed cuts by reading it on our website this morning. “It’s very naughty of the council – no one had warned us this may happen. There was no consultation with staff. Nothing. The first we knew about it was when we read it on a Cornish news site this morning.

“We all feel like we’ve been punched in the guts. There’s a lot of worry about what will happen next. There was a very sombre mood this morning.”

However the council has clarified that it has no direct contact with HWRC staff as they are all employed by Suez, and said the changes have been part of the budget documents since they were published for consultation in November.

The worker, who for obvious reasons preferred to remain anonymous, added: “People’s livelihoods are at risk. The changes mean people will have to work five days a week but that will include weekends. A lot of my colleagues don’t want to work weekends because of having kids and things like that.”

He predicted there would be “ructions” if the changes go ahead and that members of the public will dump their wasted at the recycling centres’ gates on the days they are closed.

The man also said that centres were given very little notice about the introduction of the booking system.

We asked Cornwall Council if it had warned HWRC staff about the recommended cuts and it could only say that the information was in the budget documents. A spokesperson replied: “Details of our draft budget proposals including how we operate our household waste recycling centres were outlined in our recent draft budget consultation. The findings will be considered by our full council later this month.”

Cornwall’s Lib Dems say they are shocked by the plan to reduce opening times by two days a week. Cllr Rob Nolan said: “The council has just spent a load of money putting in a booking system and now they want to close the tips. This cut in the service can only lead to frustration for residents and increased fly tipping.”

Lib Dem group leader Cllr Leigh Frost added: “Yet again, the Conservative administration is making more cuts to vital services while increasing costs, another example of their hopeless mismanagement. This ridiculous decision will be reversed in our alternative budget proposals.”