LAPTOP computers promised to Newport councillors are still sitting in a storeroom two months after the election.

The 50 laptop machines cost over £55,000 and were meant to boost communication and cut paper usage.

But councillors will not get their hands on the technology until all their homes have been connected to high-speed Internet.

Telecoms firm BT is gradually linking every councillor's home to broadband Internet, but councillors said the work is going too slowly. Councillor Simon Lane had the BT line put in over a month ago but is still waiting for his laptop - which won't be released until all 50 councillors have been connected.

He said: "If I'd had this laptop I would be able to see agendas and minutes digitally and I wouldn't have a small Amazonian rainforest of papers in my house. I would be able to email people properly, especially council officers.

"At the moment I use my own computer and have to wait until the evenings. Several email messages have been lost.

"The council should have ordered the line installation much earlier and forced BT to install them more quickly.

"This is just bad planning. It's amateurish and it wouldn't acceptable in the commercial world."

Councillors Allan Morris and Pat Bull criticised the council for being too slow in getting crucial IT equipment to its members.

They both called for the laptops to be released to councillors before the broadband Internet was put in, so that councillors could get used using the machines and some of the software.

A council spokeswoman said councillors should get the computers in the "next couple of weeks".

She added: "The delays were because nothing was ordered till after the election in June.

"We have provided technology to the members in the past, since 1995. "Councillors can take the laptops with them and access council information from their desks or anywhere where there is wireless access."