ANGRY workers fear their jobs are under threat after their firm missed out on a contract to supply bins to their local council.

Employees at Blackburn-based Weltonhurst have organised a petition after Blackburn with Darwen Council placed an order for composter bins with a Midlands firm.

But council bosses have stressed that they have to make any such orders through the competitive tendering process to ensure the best value for residents and that Weltonhurst's bins were dearer than others.

Weltonhurst is one of the country's leading manufacturers of composter bins and had supplied them to the council when it held its first sale to residents last year in a bid to encourage more recycling in the borough.

But when the council held its next sale it went to a rival firm in Yorkshire for its supply of bins.

Bosses from Weltonhurst, based on the Roman Road Industrial Estate, then arranged a meeting with the council in a bid to convince them to buy local.

"It was agreed that the officers would work together with Weltonhurst in future promotions," said Paul Burrows, managing director of the firm.

Weltonhurst told the council that it would provide bins of the same quality as any rival product and at same cost or cheaper.

"It was agreed with the recycling officers that before they place any further contracts there would be discussions with Weltonhurst." But the council's latest composter promotion is using bins from a firm in Birmingham.

"No discussions had been undertaken with Weltonhurst and in fact meetings had been cancelled by the council officers."

In March this year Weltonhurst axed 16 jobs after a downturn in sales.

"In these difficult times the workforce at Weltonhurst have taken it upon themselves to organise a petition.

"They have not been able to receive satisfactory answers on why Weltonhurst has not been successful in winning these two contracts."

But council leader Malcolm Doherty said officers had acted properly and that Weltonhurst's tender for the latest compost bin promotion had been dearer than its rival.

"The council cannot simply award contracts to whosoever it wishes. A rigorous system applies to awarding contracts.

He said that the distributors of Weltonhurst's bins were invited to submit a tender.

"Indeed when we did not receive a price from them on both of the quotation options available to them, we gave them extra time to prepare and make a submission.

"Staff from Weltonhurst requested and were sent copies of the full tender documentation."

Coun Doherty said that Weltonhurst's tender was at least 30 per cent more than the average price.

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