Newcastle Under Lyme's Reform UK administration has scrapped plans for electric bin lorries, delivering savings of more than ú6.2 million to local taxpayers. The council had already identified ú2 million in savings by cancelling the previous administration's decision to purchase the vehicles. A further ú4.2 million in costs for charging infrastructure installationùwhich had never been properly budgetedùwill now be avoided.
Council leader Jonathan Gullis highlighted the financial planning failures behind the original scheme. "The previous administration wanted electric bin lorries but didn't budget for the charging stations," Gullis said. "That's the difference between political posturing and common sense." The charges would ultimately have fallen to Newcastle Under Lyme residents to cover.
Deputy leader Graham Shaw criticised the previous council's approach to the project. "We were heading towards a multi-million-pound bill that residents would ultimately have been expected to fund," Shaw stated.