£50k for smart screens ‘a waste’

Seven smart screens installed by Stirling Council across its area have cost nearly £50,000 to install and run, says a Dunblane councillor.

Dunblane and Bridge of Allan councillor Alastair Majury said the figure came to light after he submitted a Freedom of Information request to the council.

It showed that installed costs for the seven screens were £33,414 and the cost of maintaining the machines has been £14,831 since February 2017.

The smart screens were meant to be part funded by advertising revenue. However advertising was originally contracted to an external company who subsequently ceased trading in March 2018. Stirling Council then took responsibility for the advertising.

To date, the council has received only £750 in advertising revenue and has another £325 to invoice over the coming months, with only two paid advertisements to date.

The most used machine was the double-sided version at Stirling’s Friars Street with 69,684 total clicks since August 2017, and the second most being Callander’s single sided screen with 59,812 clicks.

The least used machine is Dunblane’s with just 26,142 clicks. It cost nearly £9,000 to install with an estimated running cost of £255 per year.

Councillor Majury said: “Personally, I think that all of the machines have been a waste of money and the nearly £50,000 would have been better spent fixing potholes.

“However, it is clear that the screen in Dunblane should either be sold or at least moved to a location where it will see more use, perhaps by giving Callander a second screen.”

In January this year, however, Callander Enterprise said the smart screen installed in its town’s Ancaster Square should be taken away or altered so it better promoted local businesses. Concerned businesses had said that the cost of advertising on the screen had proved too high, meaning the adverts which appeared on it promoted businesses in Stirling, urging tourists to head away from Callander.

A Stirling Council spokesperson said:“We are constantly reviewing all aspects of the screens with the supplier.

“The smart screens, in terms of usage statistics, have performed well in comparison with other areas in Scotland since they were installed and the council, through review, will consider all options for future use.”