A search to find sandboxes in Plymouth is underway after a councilor admitted local authorities do not know where each one is.

Mark Coker, cabinet member for strategic planning and transport, told Plymouth City Council’s housing and community services scrutiny committee that complaints had been received about green bins not being filled.

He said the problem was not knowing where the bins – purchased by councilors in their area using grants – were located.

Coker added that each bin would be filled for the winter and a review and public consultation would be held to see if they are still needed.

Green bins are used in addition to yellow road bins to store gravel, sand or salt to be spread on roads and sidewalks to reduce the risk of ice and snow.

Coker said highways staff were asked to find all of the city’s sandboxes because their locations had not been recorded, the Local Democracy Reporting Service said.

Councilor Lee Finn, chair of the committee, said it may be time to remove the green bins to simplify the system.

In response, Coker said: “It’s not about getting rid of trash.

“It’s a way to control them and obtain good value for money for operators.”

Committee members said they wanted to know the findings of the review before making a decision.