Cr Romano asked for a report on bin condition in March, including upgrading them to a higher standard.

“They might have been great in 1980, but I always find that the lids are missing and kids have a tendency to stick their hands in,” he said. 

“It’s the small things that make big things look good.”

The report returned to councillors revealed there were 73 bins within Summer Street and the CBD and while a typical strategy would place bins at regular intervals, takeaway food outlets over time had led to a more ad-hoc pattern. 

There are five types of bins used – the most common style has a green, perforated aluminium surround with a hinged lid and cigarette butt section, although replacement bins will no longer have the butt feature due to a change in industry trends.

Mayor Reg Kidd thought there was room to look for “snazzier” designs.

“There’s one at the Shell service station that’s on an angle,” he said.

Other bins in use include a silver perforated aluminium bin surround, a concrete-style bin, a cage bin made of galvanised steel and a timber structure used in Robertson and Cook parks, which houses wheelie bins. 

Green bin replacement costs $1500 each, or $110,000 for all 73, while the timber option would cost $234,000 to replace all of them. 

The final decision will form part of the CBD upgrade plan.