A FREEDOM of Information (FOI) request has revealed the true cost to the council taxpayers of the Forest of Dean's new recycling system – a staggering sum just a shade under a million pounds.

The revelation emerged after Mr Colin Guyton of the UK Independence Party fired off an FOI request to the Forest of Dean District Council which read: "Please would you let me have a breakdown of the total costs of introducing the new recycling system?"

The answer provided to Mr Guyton, of Ruardean, detailed the overall costs of the new scheme, plus an idea of the longevity of the bins themselves. Assistant legal executive to the council, Tracey Griffiths replied:

"The costs for the purchase of new bins and caddies is:

•£677,075 (for 36,000 x 240ltr refuse wheeled bins, 1,000 x smaller 140ltr refuse wheeled bins and 100 x 1,100ltr bins (for communal areas).

•£157,680 (for 36,500 x 7ltr internal kitchen caddies, 23ltr external kitchen caddies and a roll of compostable liners.)

•Total cost of bins, caddies and liners: £834,755

•Cost of communicating with the public. Includes design, photography and production of all leaflets, calendars, address stickers, mailing costs, roadshow costs, canvassing, vehicle livery, advertising (radio, press, cinema and ad van). Funded by Forest of Dean District Council and Gloucestershire Coun­ty Council. £91,705."

Which brings a round total of some £926,460 for the hardware and publicity alone. On the subject of the bin trucks themselves, the reply to the FOI request states that: "The new refuse and recycling vehicles have been procured by Biffa as part of our on-going waste collection contract so I cannot tell you exactly how much the lorries have cost.

"I can confirm that the overall cost of waste collection, through this and other changes, is expected to fall by £520,000 in 2012/13."

As to the longevity of the bins themselves, Ms Griffiths wrote: "The refuse bins have a guarantee period of 10-year so we are spreading the cost of them over their useful life. We have many thousands of garden wheeled bins which have been in use for some nine years now and these are still in good order so we would expect the refuse bins to fare similarly well."

She did not, however, detail how many owners of garden wheelie bins had bought a 'licence' for their bins.

• The Forest of Dean District Council annual accounts are available now for inspection, reading and copying. They can be viewed at the Council Offices in Coleford until July 26 between 9 am and 4.45pm (Monday to Thursday) and 9 am to 4.30 (Friday).

• In addition, from July 27 until the conclusion of the audit process, a local government elector for the area of the council, or his/her representative, can ask the auditor questions about the accounts. But the auditor requires questioners to contact him in advance. Similarly, electors can also object to the accounts but, again, the auditor (and in this instance the Finance and Property Department of the Council) needs written notice of a proposed objection. Full details can be found at the FODDC website, www. fdean. gov.uk