Councillors have been told that new recycling bags are “fit for purpose” – despite them being a third smaller than they should have been.
Lichfield District Council is investigating how it came to receive and distribute bags below the anticipated 81-litre capacity ones for card and paper it had expected.
But in an email to members of the local authority, the cabinet member for recycling, Cllr Ashley Yeates, has shared a frequently asked questions list to explain more about the issue.
He revealed that a total of 280,000 bags were purchased for Lichfield District Council and on behalf of four other local authorities.
But despite 81-litre capacity being ordered, some of those that have already been distributed have turned out to be smaller.
However, Cllr Yeates’ email said they were “fit for purpose”.
“The bags are being delivered in multiple consignments to the various waste services.
“The sizes and quality of the bags has been variable across the authorities. All have expressed concerns about sizes and some about quality.
“While some are smaller than ordered, they are fit for purpose.
“The smallest bags so far identified have a 57-litre capacity, which is the same as the bags currently in use in Newcastle-under-Lyme – their system has been operating successfully for several years.
“Additional capacity may need to be provided to residents in the future.”
Email from Cllr Ashley Yeates to members of Lichfield District Council
The email also confirms that delaying the new system of separating card and paper from the rest of the recycling would create an additional cost of around £35,000 per week.
He added that legal advice was being sought about the contract for the new bags, but admitted that testing could show they are actually made to the anticipated specification.
“The supplier has been made aware of our dissatisfaction.
“We have commenced distribution of the bags – to delay the roll-out of dual-stream collections would require the five authorities to continue co-mingled collection and disposal at an additional cost of £35,000 per week.
“Based on legal advice we advised the supplier in writing of our intention to use the bags to mitigate subsequent losses, but that we reserved the right to reject them as not meeting specification.
“The supplier believes that the supplied bags are within acceptable tolerance to specification. The next stage of the dispute will be to engage an independent testing body to attest to reasonable conformance to specification.
“At this stage we do not know the extent and severity of the problem – independent testing could conceivably advise that the bags are to specification.
“While we have engaged legal services throughout, the recourse we may have to the supplier remains unclear.”
Email from Cllr Ashley Yeates to members of Lichfield District Council
The email to members came after Cllr Derick Cross had told fellow councillors that whoever had been responsible should “resign or be sacked”.
“I cannot believe that nobody checked the order upon delivery or before distribution?
“Whoever was responsible for this project should resign or be sacked.”
Email from Cllr Derick Cross to members of Lichfield District Council
