The cabinet member in charge of waste services at Swindon Borough Council acted as a secret shopper to see how easy it was to book slots at the household waste recycling centre in Rodbourne Cheney.

Coun Maureen Penny did so in response to a plea from Labour group leader Jim Grant for more publicity about the ability to book by telephone at the communities and place committee meeting.

Coun Grant said: “The online booking system is great, I have used it several times myself. But people don’t know that you can book a slot there by phone. It means that those who don’t have the internet are excluded from the service which they are paying for the same as everybody else.

“Can the council do more communicating to ensure that the telephone booking service is better known.”

Coun Penny said: “It’s not true to say that it’s more difficult to use the telephone, or takes longer. I acted as a secret shopper and I booked two slots online, and then cancelled one of them. Then I rang up to book a slot, and that was very quick and easy. I didn’t ring as the cabinet member or a councillor, I just rang as a member of the public.”

Up to two slots a month, can be booked online at Swindon.gov.uk or by phone on 01793 445500