A BRITISH boss whose bid for a multi-million-pound bins contract was shunned as council chiefs sent the work overseas has hit out at the decision.

Jonathan Straight, chief executive of Yorkshire-based Straight PLC, said in ordering 225,000 twin bins from France, Durham County Council had failed to support British industry and potential for new UK jobs had been lost.

As revealed in The Northern Echo, the council handed the £4.2m contract to build and distribute the bins to Environmental Systems Expertise (ESE), part of Netherlands- based ESE World BV, despite a UK firm bidding £250,000 cheaper. Council chiefs say they made it clear bids would not be judged on price alone and European rules banned them from favouring British firms.

Mr Straight, who filed the most expensive bid, said shipping in the bins from France would damage the environment and sustainability should have been considered – to the benefit of UK firms.

He said: “The procurement process has not been done in the most intelligent fashion.

“Councils might complain they are limited by European law, but they have more weapons than they think to help themselves.

“Local councils are not supporting British industry, which at the moment needs all the help it can get. As far as I am concerned, British is best.

“One would hope they would think a bit harder in the future,” he said.

A council spokeswoman said environmental impact was part of a quality assessment which made up 40 per cent of each bid’s overall rating – price accounting for the remaining 60 per cent.

Straight PLC, which employs 150 people and would have made the bins in Hull, was not depending on the contract, but it could have created up to four jobs, Mr Straight said.

Meanwhile, amid growing anger, council leader Simon Henig has invited opposition leaders for behind-closeddoors talks on the issue after Christmas.

Council chiefs hope to introduce the twin bins system, under which rubbish and recycling bins are emptied fortnightly on alternate weeks, across County Durham from April. They say it will save £1m a year, increase recycling and ESE’s bid was £1m less than they had budgeted for.