Monday 5 October 2009

It’s Only (Taxpayers) Money…

Southend Council has been accused of wasting taxpayers’ cash after uprooting perfectly sound grey poles at a pedestrian crossing and replacing them with black ones.

Two workmen spent a day replacing the poles, which support lights at the crossing in Southchurch Road, Southend, in order to “improve the streetscape” .
And this cost how much?

The council can’t say:
Mehmet Mazhar, the council’s management support officer, defended the work but was unable to say how much it had cost.

He said: “We aim to improve the whole of our streetscapes across the borough.

“When poles need to be replaced, or when new crossings are being installed, we will gradually replace grey poles with black ones. This will be done uniformly throughout the borough, apart from specialist areas such as Southend High Street.

“Black poles stand out better so they can be seen more easily by pedestrians and motorists.
I don’t doubt it, except at night, of course.

And have you never heard of black paint, Mr Mazhar?

3 comments:

ivan said...

I don't suppose they've heard of the new fangled stuff called paint in that part of the world.

Von Spreuth. said...

defended the work but was unable to say how much it had cost.

It is his JOB to say "how much it cost" and more to the point KNOW how much it cost.

Of course, if that information was on the books how would any councillors ever be able to pocket the difference?

JuliaM said...

His excuse is that he couldn't seperate out the cost of THIS change from all the others.

Clearly not up to his job, then.