Roadwork, roadworks everywhere

[Brigadier]

End of financial year?

Local roads seem to have temporary lights, excavations, and resurfacing of previously billiard-table smooth stretches.
I have often heard the one that "councils spend anything left in the pot, so that they get at least that much next year."
Is there any truth in that? Unless it is selective memory, there seems to be a lot of dare I say it, pointless busy work on the roads come March........

 

[joinerjohn]

I used to work for our local council and yes, at this time of year, our department would be spending money like it was going out of fashion. The last year I was there, I was asked in January if I needed any power tools. I suggested they could look at a few cordless tools (24v sds+ drill and 18v cordless screwdrivers)
A few weeks later, my boss handed me 2 x 24v sds+ drills, 2 x 24v cordless circular saws, 4 x 18v cordless drill/drivers, 2 x 18v cordless planers, 2 x 18v cordless jigsaws and 2 x 18v cordless impact drivers (all of them the latest Li-On technology)
Excuse was "We had to spend the rest of this years budget by the end of March, so we get more funding for next year." At the time the cost of the tools was in excess of £2000. Bricklayers/builders got 2 brand new stihl saws, laser and bubble levels, hand tools and a couple of those underground services detectors. I think the painters got new brushes.

 

[RigidRaider]

It's the same here in Lancashire; suddenly all those potholes are getting filled and there is white spray paint all over the bad bits.

 

[Whitespirit66]

I have often heard the one that "councils spend anything left in the pot, so that they get at least that much next year."

Is there any truth in that?

Yes. My brother works for trading standards/weights and measures. At the end of the financial year, they would go on a spending spree if there was money left in the kitty. Mobiles, laptops, PCs, test equpment, workwear, etc, etc, etc.

The waste that goes on in local councils is obscene, when people are struggling to pay ever increasing council tax bills.

 

[Brigadier]

Thanks for the responses peeps

So why is it allowed to carry on? I wouldn't mind if it went into something worthwhile - a swimming baths, decent cycle routes, new schools, etc, but just to waste it re-tarmacing the same stretch of road every year boils my piddle

 

[Nige F]

just to waste it re-tarmacing the same stretch of road every year boils my piddle

Come to Sussex then Roads get resufaced every 2 - 3 Decades . No , I`m not joking

 

[Brigadier]

Don't get me wrong, Nige - many roads around here are appalling. But it is the same stretches that get re-done, whether they need it or not.

 

[Bodgeitandleggit]

It is the same around our way......cones and signs everywhere...so much activity going on

 

[gregers]

as nige f has said,weve got potholes everywhere.which probably means that this area theyve already run out of money.so they will get left to deteriorate more.

 

[JBR]

That's my experience too. I've not been counting, but I regularly see the ubiquitous cones surrounding a hole in the road for days, if not weeks, yet never seem to see anyone doing anything.

Then, at the same time, I drive over (past, if I can avoid them) potholes that have been left unattended for weeks.

As others have said, this business of spending left over cash at the end of the financial year is criminal. Yet I'm sure it must be a simple matter to audit councils' books to see just how much has been spent, on what and when.

 

[Hugh Jaleak]

Welcome to Northamptonshire then, the 'Rose of the Shires' as the council declare on the signs....

What resurfacing has been done over the last decade or so, has been done with a different type of Macadam, (supposed to reduce road noise I believe), it is crumbling all over the place..... Piles of loose stones in the road, and (some) bits have had a temporary fix done.

A Social Services department who are a law unto themselves, despite repeated correspondance from myself and my partner, and our solicitor, so far they have refused to answer anything asked.... Social Worker is quick enough to expect us to jump when they want something....

Close a comprehensive school, (and sell the land for housing), in an area that is still expanding with more housing then wonder why there's not enough school places.....

A councillor who doesnt drive so gets a taxi (at taxpayers expense of course) to take him the 30 miles each way to meetings.

A council 'newspaper' delivered fortnightly, extolling the virtues of a 'Big Spring Clean', done by volunteers. (Council will take the collected rubbish away though!) I was in the (obviously mistaken) belief that litter clearance was part of the service we paid for... I could go on...

 

[securespark]

boils my piddle

Doesn't that hurt?

 

[Brigadier]

Until the antibiotics kick in

 

[RigidRaider]

Er... surely it's simple good business practice to hang onto a wad of cash until the end of the financial year as a contingency for emergency work? I don't know to what extent councils can insure the road infrastructure, I would imagine not very much so they must fear structural problems like bridge collapses or landslips as a major unforeseen expense.

 

[anobium]

Er... surely it's simple good business practice to hang onto a wad of cash until the end of the financial year as a contingency for emergency work? I don't know to what extent councils can insure the road infrastructure, I would imagine not very much so they must fear structural problems like bridge collapses or landslips as a major unforeseen expense.

They have seperate contingency funds for cases such you describe.
What is at question is the money spent on projects/equipment which are neither necessary nor urgent but solely to get rid of money before the end of the financial year.
You try this in private industry and you would be shown the door.
Does any body know if this is legal or not?