A Northern Ireland council is keeping the public in the dark over plans for new solar bins.
Newry Mourne Down District Council closed the door to the chamber with no reports opened to ratepayers at its recent environment committee.
The secret discussion on the business case, 15 years behind the first council in Northern Ireland to adopt the bins, was moved into a confidential session by elected reps, away from the media and people in the gallery.
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In open session, committee chairperson, Sinn Féin's Geraldine Kearns, said: "It was agreed to approve the business case to procure solar powered compacting litter bins for the expansion across main towns and villages throughout the district."
Other councils on both sides of the border have installed solar powered public bins over the last number of years.
In 2010, legacy council, Larne Borough Council became the first local authority in Northern Ireland to use the latest technology with the installation of 19 solar-powered compacting bins along the Antrim Coast and other beauty spots in the area.
The 240 litre bins have an automatic compacting mechanism, and can store up to 20-times more waste compared to standard bins.
They also send an electronic message to the council when they are ready to be emptied, resulting in less collections, lower collection costs and less emissions.
In addition, the fully-enclosed design means they are bird and vermin-proof, they can be operated using a foot pedal. The bins can also log how many times they have been used, helping to identify those most in use.
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