Anger over £100k bill for roadside spruce-up
THE bill for sprucing up the roadside outside Swansea's Civic Centre has been revealed as £100,000.
Swansea Council has spent the huge sum on landscaping the stretch along Westway to the west car park of the Civic Centre.
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The scheme includes planting 11,000 bulbs, 1,600 shrubs and 15 trees.
Council bosses hope that when the bulbs grow and the trees mature there will be a blaze of colour along the roadside.
Cabinet Member for Environment John Hague said the work would add "charm and interest".
However, the hefty bill has left opposition councillors fuming.
The landscaping was introduced after the road was remodelled as part of the improvement works for public transport — including Swansea's new bendy bus, which is due to hit the streets next year — along Westway near Clarence Street, Oystermouth Road and in front of the Civic Centre, and was paid for using the Assembly transport grant.
Cabinet member for environment John Hague said: "The landscape has been designed to create an attractive setting to Oystermouth Road and Metro, to enhance the public transport experience and create a pedestrian-friendly access to the Civic Centre.
"It means cyclists, pedestrians, disabled people and public transport have easier access to the Civic Centre. It's an important investment that will add charm and interest along the seafront."
However, opposition councillors have criticised the expense.
Conservative leader Rene Kinzett said: "This does seem to me to be an awfully large sum of money to spend on "sprucing up" the roadside.
"The council spent £35,000 consulting people about what should happen to the slip bridge — and the results were ignored. Now, they spend another £100,000 on a cosmetic exercise when what people really want to know is when there will be a stop to the disruptions.
"I think County Hall's priorities are not the same as everyone else's."
Labour leader David Phillips said: "Even if you allow for the other work, in addition to the work outside county hall it can't be much more than 100 metres, so for £1,000 per metre, it seems excessive to me.
"I just hope the council has seen fit to keep the money in Swansea by employing a local firm to carry out the work."
Council leader Chris Holley has responded to the criticism.
He said: "It alarms me that leaders of both opposition parties think they can pass comment, and don't realise the money was used to enhance the environment — not just 100 metres.
"If people feel enhancing the environment is a waste of time, so be it. We are trying to make the entrance to Swansea as attractive as possible."
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by roy r, swansea
Friday, November 21 2008, 7:15PM
“Yet again more tax -payers money wasted this time on Holley's civic garden,when our schools are in need of urgent repairs,Swansea please wake up, this present ruling administration cannot goven vote them out. What will our local taxes be come April?.”
by Jon Howes, Sketty Park
Thursday, November 20 2008, 2:14PM
“If you check the dictionary definition of transport on the web at:- http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/transport
You will find 12 different meanings, none of which include bulbs, shrubs or trees.
It seems odd that the council were allowed to spend a transport grant on such things. Given the fact it now takes me almost twice as long to get home as it used to thanks to Mr Hoyles Bendy Bus Utopia, (buses available separately).
I would rather they spent the money getting the synchronisation right on the traffic lights along the Mumbles Road cutting my journey time back to what it was rather than getting a 'charm filled and interesting view' whilst stuck in traffic.”
by anon, swansea
Thursday, November 20 2008, 1:01PM
“If this is a true figure then its incredible since they claim they cannot afford to give staff a decent payrise in years and staff who have left are not being replaced due to not enough money in the budget therefore one person covering two persons jobs !! There are too many chiefs at swansea civic centre and not enough indians. Who makes these decisions to spent this sort of money I wonder??”
by annon, swansea
Thursday, November 20 2008, 12:20PM
“Who is paying for the specialist firm that the council brought in to put up all the Christmas Decorations in Swansea, is that the assembly transport grant to, or us the taxi payers?”
by anon, morrston
Thursday, November 20 2008, 12:18PM
“All that money for a couple of shrubs! One question I would like to ask, Isn't he Assembley Transport Grant for Transport, not the view of a Civic Centre? Next the council will be complaining that there isn't enough money for the bus station. Come on Council, what about spending the money on resurfacing the road in the Hafod?”
by Bob, Mumbles
Thursday, November 20 2008, 11:14AM
“What's just as annoying is that the new Traffic lights outside county hall are completely out on their timing, let's slow the entire Mumbles road down just so the councillors can get out of work quickly!! Grrrr.......”
by Carol, Swansea
Thursday, November 20 2008, 8:33AM
“All that money to spruce up the Civic Centre. They could have done spending half of that sprucing up High Street as that is a total disgrace. Don't the councilors realise that the 1st street any visitor to Swanse sees on disembarking from the railway station is High Street - what does that say about Swansea? Not a lot I think.”
by Phil, west cross
Thursday, November 20 2008, 1:36AM
“When are Swansea council going to realise it is not their money that they are spending, it is OURS, and we expect value for money.
STOP WASTING MONEY AND WORK TOWARDS CUTTING COUNCIL TAX INSTEAD.”
by Rowland Bevan, Dunvant
Wednesday, November 19 2008, 11:40PM
“£100-000 would have added a blaze of colour to many a school classroom or replaced many a drafty window.Mr. Holly and Mr Hague will now be known as Bill and Ben the f;ower pot men”
by Julie Jones, swansea
Wednesday, November 19 2008, 11:19PM
“Swansea Council should be ashamed”