The Department of Infrastructure has denied claims from a Douglas councillor it is breaking the terms of a deal over the eastern district civic amenity site.

Councillor Ritchie McNicholl, chairman of the committee which oversees the site, said the DoI has 22 recycling bins in the site, despite an agreement to have nine and is keeping funds which should be going to the council.

He told the council: ’This is affecting our budget for the site, the contract is for nine bins, they’ve now got 22. Then the government take the money for the recycling, which should go to the contractor. If we had this money, it would reduce the cost to our ratepayers.’

A DoI spokesman said: ’The department has a written agreement with the Eastern Household Waste Recycling Centre to site and service recycling containers on that site for three years, dated 8 December 2017.

’This agreement does not refer to the number of bins located at the site nor any requirement to pay the site for any materials collected.

’This forms part of the all-island bring-bank collection service operated by DoI.

’The cost of the service to the taxpayer (at no charge to local authorities/DBC) is partly offset by the income received for some of the materials collected.

’The materials include paper and cans, which presently have a positive value when recycled.’