Bin lorry bid by Cardiff Council as Gulliver's goes bust

Council bosses said they could improve the service to householders

Cardiff Council is hoping to buy a fleet of bin lorries and gritters from the firm it hired them from, which has gone bust.

Bristol-based Gulliver's Truck Hire was placed into administration in December citing cash flow issues.

The troubled firm provides nearly 60 vehicles to Cardiff, including 37 rubbish trucks and 10 gritters.

Council leaders say they can provide a better service in-house, with fewer breakdowns and more capacity.

Councillor Michael Michael, responsible for clean streets, told cabinet colleagues on Wednesday the receiver was willing to accept an offer from the council for the vehicles.

After the meeting, he told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: "We're going to make sure the service is not impacted whatsoever.

"People on the streets won't notice any difference."

Joe Boyle, leader of the Liberal Democrats on the council, asked why action had not been taken earlier, as Gulliver's announced last February it had gone into the red the previous financial year.

He also asked why the council still "spot hires" vehicle from outside suppliers, saying it had "taken a crisis" to force the council away from a system branded in a report as "unsustainable and inefficient".

• More than 300 to lose jobs at truck firm

• Fines and warnings for wrong waste

• Protest over 'waste of money' bins

A council officer told the meeting the authority only uses spot hiring to replace a small number of vehicles.

Councillor Michael blamed the previous Lib Dem administration for setting out the procurement system for the vehicles.

He said: "While we knew they were in the red in February we couldn't change the arrangements. They were still trading."

Council leader Huw Thomas added: "We're acting at the earliest opportunity having recognised the risks we were facing."