Councillor – What a load of BOLLARDS!
BARRIERS
IT’S bollards! That’s the view of a political group leader on finding out how a funding award was spent.
Leader of Calderdale Council’s Liberal Democrat group, Clr James Baker, wanted to know how an Emergency Active Travel grant given to councils during the Covid pandemic has been spent by the authority – finding out more than half of it was spent on bollards or barriers.
Clr Baker said a report presented to the council by Cabinet member for Regeneration and Strategy, Clr Jane Scullion (Lab, Luddenden Foot) said around £568,000 had been spent on measures including social distancing, school streets, and improved cycling facilities at school.
But Clr Baker said a breakdown provided to him and shown only £5,000 being used to help with social distancing outside of schools, and another £13,000 on Covid signage.
“The real big ticket items were £121,000 on rising bollards for Halifax town centre and £157,000 on temporary barriers.
“I don’t understand how either of these things promote cycling or walking or help combat Covid and the pandemic. I’m told as well the local authority is renting these barriers,” he said.
Clr Baker said, at a time when local government funds are in short supply, he is questioning use of the funds.
“Only a small amount of the money actually ended up being spent on improving cycling and walking routes. Most went on temporary measures to annoy and frustrate motorists,” he said.
But Clr Scullion said safety always came first and remained the council’s top concern throughout the pandemic with barriers installed in some places on Government advice.
“We make no apologies for trying to keep people safe and well during this health emergency.
“We have spent the money on measures to maintain public health, plus a range of permanent and temporary measures such as enhancing school environments to reduce the spread of Covid and boost active travel. We have a long-standing commitment, through our Active Calderdale movement, to encourage people to travel in active, healthy and sustainable ways such as walking and cycling whenever possible. This was to protect pedestrians, businesses and the wider community by creating safer spaces for social distancing while encouraging people to walk, shop and work safely.”
The real big ticket items were £121,000 on
rising bollards for Halifax town centre