Doomed garages given a makeover
A SET of old garages have been spruced up in a clean-up project even though they are due to be bulldozed within days.
Residents received a letter from Stoke-on-Trent City council officials at the start of October informing them the 12 garages in Greendock Street, Longton, will be knocked down by the end of the month.
So they were astonished to discover that council contractors had been out to give the condemned buildings a new lick of paint last week.
Council officials have now confirmed the garages are still coming down in a bid to tackle anti-social behaviour problems there.
But they failed to tell painters hired by the council months ago of the decision, which was taken in the last few weeks.
The council was unable to say how much the spruce up had cost the taxpayer. However, The Sentinel obtained a quote from another company Castle Painting Contractors, based in Tunstall, that estimated the job to have cost between £1,250 and £1,800.
Dave Bowler, a 58-year-old supermarket shelf filler, of Greendock Street, has used one of the garages for 25 years.
He said: "The garages are now looking very smart, but it's a complete waste of taxpayers' money.
"A council official came round with a letter earlier this month saying we had to hand in our garage keys this week ready for them to be bulldozed.
"When I saw the new lick of paint on them last week I called the council thinking they must have changed their minds. But they said they were still going.
"I asked why they painted the doors in that case, but no-one had an answer. It just defies any logic. I was upset the garages were being demolished. Now I will have to keep my car on the street and my insurance premiums are up.
"But this just adds insult to injury. It seems like one hand doesn't know what the other is doing at the council."
The decision to knock the garages down came after consultation with residents, who complained about gangs gathering there.
Councillor Adrian Knapper, portfolio holder for regeneration and economic development, said: "The garages at Greendock Street were painted as part of a painting programme agreed months in advance.
"Due to anti-social behaviour in the area, consultation with local residents had been on going and the council acted to remove these garages.
"As the consultation had just finished there was no way for the painting contractors to know that the garages had only recently been agreed to be taken down."
3 Comments
by Chris Cooper, newcastle under lyme
Wednesday, October 29 2008, 9:59AM
“This is not unique its more or less the norm. From the top to the bottom who cares? its not their money its odds on they dont live in the City who issue the ork, the fear of retribution of the Managemant at the City and the sheer incompetence of direction equates to a totally subservient unquestioning work force, so if you were to order the statue of Sgt Baskeyfield on Festival Park to be painted Pink and it was on a Work Ticket, then Pink it wouldb be, and no one would in authority question it. There are some real classics from the past, and its a certainty there`ll be some good ones to come, in all the doom and gloom of Britain on its uppers Stoke Council can still draw a smile.”
by Scott, bucknall
Wednesday, October 29 2008, 9:01AM
“If I recognised a failing in my work, which had cost my company £1800, I would at least have the conscience to apologise.
It seems that¿s what sets me, Adrian and a whole host of council officials apart ¿ backbone!”
by David, Burslem
Tuesday, October 28 2008, 1:31PM
“Yes, that's right: no way for the painting contractors to know - if either smoke signals, a hand-written letter or a carrier pigeon are your chosen method of communication!
It indicates a very poor system of work when a change of this nature is not efficiently communicated to all concerned. Are the council not aware of these wonderful new devices called telephones? Waste, waste waste.”