£100,000 for new plastic drains

Around 2,000 plastic drain covers are being ordered to replace stolen metal ones in Sandwell at a cost of £100,000 in a bid to stamp out metal theft.

Authority chiefs had mooted the possibility that the borough's 30,000 drain covers could have plastic replacements. If every single cover were replaced, costs would hit £2.2 million.

But bosses do not propose to install replacements where existing metal drains remain.

And they have placed an order to cover where vandals have struck already and create a reserve in case thieves strike in future.

Councillor Derek Rowley, the borough's head of neighbourhood services, said: "We have identified some cash and have put in an order for the plastic drain covers.

"We wil be utilising them straight away for those drains that have been stolen.

"The money has come from an underspend in my budget so we are using that money. Besides the annoyance of the thefts, we are having to do this because of idiots stealing these drain covers and causing a danger to people."

Metal theft has hit the borough to such a degree that more than 40 covers were stolen from parts of Tipton in a fortnight alone.

It costs the council £400 a time to replace each stolen metal drain cover and frame.

Now Councillor Rowley says the council has found a firm prepared to make plastic covers priced from £45 to £75. It is hoped that eventually all covers will be replaced.