Changes to the types of vehicles allowed to use Dorset household recycling centres has met with complaints – but no measurable increase in fly tipping.

The policy has now been in place for a year and sought to cut down on commercial use of the sites with some vehicles, include pick-ups with dual cabs, needing a permit for the first time.

Changes were also brought in limiting the use of some vans where they are the only vehicle in a household and larger trailers. Depending on the vehicle type some permit holders are now limited to either six of twelve visits per year.

Portfolio holder for the service, Cllr Laura Beddow, said that after an initial spike in complaints when the changes were brought in, the numbers had declined and most users now appeared to be content with the new arrangements.

She told the place and resources scrutiny committee that although there had been fears that the change in policy would result in more fly tipping there was no evidence to suggest that this had happened.

She said the changes had been made to focus on household users, rather than commercial traders who have other means of disposing of the waste their operations generate.

Group manager Jason Jones told the meeting that the use of the household recycling centre was intended for only small quantities of household materials.

“We are not here to take huge quantities of waste from people re-doing their homes or landscaping their gardens. We would expect them to make alternative arrangements. I know people don’t like to hear that but we have to be reasonable to everybody…it’s about trying to get a balance” he told the committee.

When the changes were introduced a year ago Dorset Council was told that it was the first change in household recycling centre access for eleven years.

Verwood residents can continue to use Somerley Household Waste Recycling Centre thanks to a special agreement between Dorset and Hampshire councils.