Delay blow to Solihull gardeners

Mar 7 2008 By Leda Reynolds

GARDENERS planning to spruce up their gardens and use new Solihull Council wheelie bins will have to prune their enthusiasm now the brakes have been put on the scheme.

At the beginning of the year, the council called on people to make the most of their new green bins which would be rolled out to a further 32,000 homes in Solihull in March.

However, council chiefs say the bins will be a month late following production problems and they will not be handed out until April.

The council says the manufacturer has "failed to keep its promise" and deliver the bins on time due to a mechanical breakdown at its plant.

Coun David Bell, cabinet member for community services and the environment, said the council had even tried finding bins from an alternative source to no avail.

"I am very disappointed about the delay in delivery from the factory - these bins have been on order for months," said Coun Bell.

"We have tried to get bins from another supplier but it's absolutely impossible.

"Many councils across the land are likely to be facing the same problem as us.

"However, we will be supplying green sacks free of charge so that people can start to tidy up their gardens as planned.

A spokesman for Hampshire-based Schaeffer, which makes the bins, apologised for the delay.

"We are extremely sorry about the delay and do not underestimate the problems this causes for the council," he said. "We have done everything we can to sort out the mechanical failure."