Changes have been approved to vehicle access to Dorset's household recycling centres.

It aims to cut down on commercial use of the sites, without a proper permit, easing congestion for household users.

Some pick-up type vehicles, including those with dual cabs, will be added to the list of those which need a permit for the first time from next April.

Around 4,000 vehicles are currently authorised to use the centres with a permit. These include homes where the sole vehicle may be vehicle larger than a car, provided it is not commercially registered or sign-written.

Changes proposed for this category include limiting visits to 12 per year, compared to the current unlimited access which, it is believed, will encourage less trips with partially full vehicles and cut down on abuse of the system.

Other changes include expanding the times when those with a limited entry permit can visit to also include weekends and bank holidays for the first time.

Dorset Council will also insist that all permit holders will have to make an annual declaration if they want to maintain their permit, rather than using an automatic renewal system which has been in place up until now.

Portfolio holder councillor Laura Miller said that the existing system had been in place for 11 years and was in need of being updated.

She told a Cabinet meeting this week that for some there would be wider access, while others would need to apply for a permit for the first time – but overall it should ensure a fairer system.

A publicity campaign is being planned to explain the full details for nearer the time when the changes are put into place.

In response to a question about town and parish council access to tip sites she said that this would be the subject of a separate consultation together with a review of how charities and community groups are treated.

There have been complaints from these groups about having their activities classed as "commercial" and being forced to pay to dispose of items at the end of fundraising or community events, or volunteers each taking home a proportion of the items and disposing of them in their household bins.