AN extra £2,500 of public money could be wasted on the Wear Valley wheelie bin mountain, which could be left to sit on farmland until July.

Councillors who are unable to decide the fate of 15,000 bins being stored for £1,250 every month say they are still forming a plan of action after an emergency meeting last night.

The environmental bins were put into storage in March near Crook after a row broke out between politicians on fortnightly rubbish collections.

Designed for alternate landfill and recyclable waste collections, the twin bins are the first half of a £560,000 deal between Wear Valley District Council and German company Otto Environmental Services.

Chief executive of the council Gary Ridley said he had received no further instructions from councillors, despite the authority being offered money for the bins - of which there is a national shortage.

He said: "We have had an informal approach from Durham City Council and Carlisle City Council, among others. Whether or not we make a sale is a matter for elected representatives."

Mr Ridley also confirmed that several landowners had stepped in to offer to store the bins at a lower price but the council had turned them away.

"We have had offers for cheaper storage but it may cost more to transport the bins to another site than it does to keep them in their present location."

Leader of the council Lib Dem Tommy Taylor called a group meeting last night but said no decisions had been made.

"Our policy is to have weekly rubbish collections.

"We are in the process of formulating our policies regarding the wheelie bins and until we have made a group decision I am unable to make any further statement," he said.

Commenting on weekly collections, Labour councillor Charlie Kay said the financial repercussions could be serious.

"We would have to spend more money buying at least five refuse trucks and even more money implementing the scheme, which we cannot afford."

Officers and councillors are liaising on the wheelie bins and are formulating a plan that Mr Ridley says is due to be ready in July.