A CASH desk at Derby City Council will no longer close at the end of this month.

The authority had planned to shut the cashiers service, which allows people to pay bills at the offices in Corporation Street, last year.

It was to improve security and also to save about £35,000 over three years.

A cross-party panel examined the decision and recommended it be kept open while people transferred to new ways of paying, such as via direct debit.

The cabinet extended its opening but said it would shut the desk at the end of March 2010.

Now the cabinet is being recommended to keep the desk open longer because the council is looking at its Derby Direct services, which deals with public inquiries, to see if it could be extended to deal with cash payments.

And in addition, Derby Direct phone line will extend its opening hours under a pilot from March 20 to the end of April.

The trial will extend the opening hours of Derby Direct from 8.30am to 5pm Monday to Friday, 8am to 7pm Monday and Tuesday, 8.30am to 5pm Wednesday to Friday and 9am to 1pm Saturday.

Customers can call Derby Direct on 0333 200 6981 for inquiries including missed bin or recycling collection and road repairs, or e-mail customerservices@derby.gov. uk for reports relating to pest control and bulky item collection.

Councillor Mike Carr said: "This pilot is a real triumph for both the council and the customer.

"We hope that the new hours will improve customer service.

"If successful, we would like to roll out the new hours for the rest of 2010."

And, when the Council House closes for major refurbishment and extension at the end of this year, the cabinet is being asked to allow Derby Direct to deal with cash payments at a temporary location, which is still to be decided.

The cabinet will make a decision on whether to go along with the officer recommendations when it meets on Tuesday.