East Suffolk Council defends £350,000 spend on bin lids as most 'efficient route'

A council has defended plans to spend £350,000 on bin lids as the most 'efficient route'.

Cllr Sally Noble, East Suffolk Council's lead for the environment, sought support from cabinet members yesterday evening to spend the money on changing garden bin lids from green to brown.

The council feared the extra wheelie bin for paper and card - grey with a green lid - which is being introduced as part of new Government rules, would cause confusion with its existing green garden bins.

Cllr Noble said: "All Suffolk councils are expected, and have agreed, to standardise waste and recycling bin colours across Suffolk as part of the Government's push for greater constituency.

"We said early on that the garden waste bins could cause confusion alongside the new green-lidded bin being introduced for card and paper.

"It's important that we address this cost as effectively as possible and replacing lids only is far cheaper."

Buying the new lids is expected to cost £300,000, with distribution and fitting costing another £50,000.

By contrast, Cllr Noble said, replacing and distributing the bins in their entirety would cost more than £1 million.

But opposition councillors questioned the plans.

Cllr Peter Byatt, who dubbed them a 'complete waste of money', suggested buying brown stickers instead, to be placed on top of the green lids to avoid confusion.

Cllr Mark Jepson said confusion could be addressed simply though clear notices on wheelie bins, providing guidance to residents and saving the authority money.

Defending her proposals, Cllr Noble said any other arrangement could lead to the wrong waste being put into the wrong bins, contaminating collections.

Cllr Tim Wilson added: "Even the smallest amount of failure rate on that plan creates huge eddies of instability thereafter."

The plans were approved unanimously.