Why the street-bin contract price remained confidential

Why could the cost of the council's street bins not be disclosed?

Alex says supplier pricing was commercially sensitive and covered by signed nondisclosure agreements.

The follow-up explains the restriction as commercial confidentiality around a council contract. Alex describes nondisclosure agreements covering the prices a supplier charged, rather than treating the bin price as a military secret. The panel contrasts extensive council-contract paperwork with the short acknowledgements they recall signing for restricted visits. Alex's example includes a six-hour meeting with lawyers representing the council, the prospective supplier, and an authority overseeing council contracts. He says the councillors received nominal allowances while the professional staff and lawyers were paid for the time. These are personal accounts of the administrative burden, not a statement that every council uses the same procedure.