A TROWBRIDGE business owner says Wiltshire Council is rubbish at sorting out the town’s litter problems after taking away a damaged bin and not replacing it.

Edward Kirk, owner of school shop Scholars, said that not long before Christmas, a car damaged a large bin that used to be on the towpath on Seymour Estate.

Wiltshire Council took away the damaged bin but as part of its policy, the authority now asks town and parish councils to pay for replacements.

Cllr Kirk has said this policy is a waste of space as if it does not replace damaged bins, Wiltshire Council cannot assist the town in keeping the streets clean.

"It is a rubbish system. We do litter picks to clean up the park area but it is not easy when there are no bins there," he said.

"The whole thing is ludicrous. They will clear the rubbish from the bins but they won’t replace the bin that they took away.

"Now the town council has to step in because of this policy."

This week the town council reached into its funds to buy a 100 litre metal guppy £324 bin, to replace the old one, and a 30 litre £110 bin to go in the play area.

Deputy chief executive of Trowbridge Town Council, Bill Austin, said: “If town councils wish to replace bins, we have to pay for it - that is Wiltshire Council’s policy.

"At the end of the day, their resources are not as large as they once were and we have to work with them to deliver."

A Wiltshire Council spokesman said: "Play areas currently maintained by ourselves are in the process of being transferred to Trowbridge Town Council, and any future installation of litter bins will be at the their discretion. The report has been forwarded to the town council for consideration at the time of transfer.

"Picking up dropped litter in the county costs a lot of public money so we ask everyone to dispose of it responsibly. If there is not a litter bin present, please take litter to the next nearest bin or take it home and dispose of in the normal domestic waste."