Zabbar Council ordered to pay €5,000 to contractor over ‘dumping charges’

Zabbar Local Council has been ordered to pay €5,000 to a contractor over construction waste charges.

A Court presided by Magistrate Joseph Apap Bologna has ordered that the Zabbar Local Council pay contractors Bonnici Bros Ltd the sum of €5,000 which were added costs for a contract by tender for dumping construction waste.

The court heard that Bonnici Bros Ltd was awarded a contract by tender by the Zabbar council for the resurfacing of roads.

The works were completed in 2005 and approved by the council the following year.

But while the works were being carried out, government had issued a legal notice in which it increased the fees known as "dumping charges".

The council had refused to pay this increase in dumping charges, which amounted to €5,275.16 and insisted that Bonnici Bros. Ltd had to absorb the costs.

The court ruled in favour of Bonnici Bros Ltd  explaining that the circumstances had changed after the company's tender was issued.

Magistrate Apap Bologna ordered the Copuncil to pay Bonnici Bros Ltd a total of €5,275 with legal interest.