A COUNCIL has reassured the public that it is doing all it can to recycle street furniture after concerns were raised over the redevelopment of a roundabout.

The area around the Stonebridge roundabout in Darlington is undergoing major redevelopment to allow for better traffic flow throughout the town.

Members of the public raised concerns last week after apparently seeing street furniture like benches, railings and flowerpots being thrown into the back of a vehicle.

One man, working close to the site, said: “I’ve seen workers throwing these things into the back of a van as though they’re rubbish but they could be recycled to bring pleasure to other people.

“If we are living in austere times as we are constantly being told then the local authority should set an example and recycle everything they can.”

A spokeswoman from Darlington Borough Council said: “It is our policy to reuse and recycle street furniture wherever possible. The planters taken from this area have now been put into store for future use and the railings will be used to repair other railed areas where possible.

“In general, we assess the condition of an item once it has been removed and a decision is then made as to whether the item is stored for future use or recycled in an appropriate way including selling items for scrap.”