Town leaders have hit out at Cornwall Council plans to hand over its responsibility for salt bins to town councils – or remove them. Passing on the costs of the 450 salt bins in the county would save Cornwall Council around £20,000 per year.

Town councils in South East Cornwall have received letters informing them that although Cornwall Council will still supply most of the current bins for free this winter, around 40-50 bins which are located on the precautionary salting network will be removed.

Cornwall Council official Jeremy Edwards said: 'We are proposing they are removed because there is little point in having bins when we are gritting the roads. Of the remaining bins, we will continue to maintain all of those bins for this coming year. If they (town and parish councils) wish to have additional bins they will need to identify where they want them and fund them.'

Town and parish councils will have to make a decision by September as to whether they do want to fund extra bins. The mayors of Looe, Liskeard, Saltash and Callington have all expressed concern over this and the council's plans to remove all the bins after this winter.

Cornwall Council is proposing, subject to consultation, that local councils take on full responsibility for salt and grit bins for the winter of 2011/12 and has asked that each gives its views by December.

Saltash mayor Adam Killeya said: 'This is of great concern to us: all councils are under financial pressure and Cornwall Council is apparently proposing to shift a significant cost onto all of the town and parish councils. They know how important grit bins are to the safety of residents and the effect that this could have.'

Callington mayor Karen Gold said: 'We are not happy. It will be an additional cost for the town council when things are already tight.'