The Siġġiewi council has been ordered to pay its former waste collection contractor €13,500 by way of balances due in terms of the contract.

In its case against the council, Xuereb Bros Ltd argued it had entered into a contract with the council in terms of which it was responsible for the collection of domestic waste in the locality.

In terms of the contract, the company was entitled to receive €70,000 for the first year of work, €72,000 for the second year, €74,500 for the third year and €77,000 for the fourth and final year.

However, it had invoiced the council at the rate of €70,000 per annum per year of the contract and not the sums agreed upon.  All invoices had been settled by the council which in turn declared that there were no complaints about the company's work.

When the company was not selected as the council's contractor when a call for tenders was issued, Xuereb Bros Ltd requested the council to pay it €13,500 being the balances due to it in terms of the original agreement.

The council submitted that the company was responsible for the invoicing error and that the council could not pay more than it had already paid.

Mr Justice Lawrence Mintoff said that terms of the contract entered into between the parties had to be observed and that the council was bound to pay the company the amounts stipulated in the said contract.