Bin lorry iPad proposals criticised. Town hall bosses have been accused of insulting taxpayers with plans to give binmen £400 iPad gadgets to do their rounds.Bury Council, facing budget cuts of £18 million, is reportedly to buy 22 of the tablet computers to mount on dashboards guiding bin wagons around the town in Greater Manchester.

The council, which will not say how much it has spent on the Apple devices, claims it will help save cash by improving collection rates, customer service standards and boost recycling.

Robert Oxley, campaign manager of the Taxpayers' Alliance, said: "It beggars belief that a council making huge savings can find this money to splash out on iPads.

"Residents want bin services that are reliable and efficient, not council staff monitoring what they're throwing out with expensive gimmicks.

"It's an insult to local residents who are tightening their belts in tough times that the council is wasting their money on fanciful ideas like this."

Bury Council, which must make £18 million in savings over the next three years, is buying 22 of the iPads, one for each bin wagon, which if bought in shops for around £400, comes to a bill of £8,800.

The devices must also be mounted in bin wagon cabs and refuse staff will also have to be trained to use the gadgets.

The scheme is due to be presented to councillors in a report by officers but has reportedly already been rubber-stamped as going ahead.

No-one at Bury Council, or councillors contacted, was available to verify the information or give comment.

Source: yahoo