A FACT-FINDING day trip to study how the Dutch collect and recycle their household rubbish turned into a test of endurance for a party from Bromsgrove.

The group of 11, comprising six district council officers and four Tory councillors spent Monday freezing in Holland observing how the continentals, said to be ahead of Britain regarding salvage schemes, operate.

Thanks to a government grant, Bromsgrove council is about to commit more than £3m of public cash to overhaul its refuse collection service.

But the trip was criticised as being a "beano, paid for by council tax payers" by councillor Peter McDonald (Uffdown and Waseley).

Extravagant

He claimed the council had been extravagant in sending 11 representatives and the cash could have been better spent funding community services, including those in Rubery.

But deputy council leader Cllr Margaret Taylor (Con-Barnt Green) was quick to point out the trip had been very worthwhile, but far from a holiday. She said her day began at 3.30am and ended back at Birmingham airport at 8.30pm.

The party spent the greater part of the day in freezing conditions watching the equipment being demonstrated and had been left no time for a hot meal.

Before they departed arrangements were made with the Dutch firm which manufactures the equipment, to bring a vehicle to trial here in Bromsgrove.

The firm's offer to reimburse the visitors' air fares was refused by the council in the interests of maintaining its independence.