Streetlight Repainting in Sandgate: Makes a Nice Change...
A streetlight repainting project in Sandgate High Street broke local tradition by starting the day AFTER election day.
The repainting of the columns is funded by a grant from Shepway District Council but being carried out by Kent Highways. Columns have been stripped of hanging brackets and light fittings, being repainted then brackets and fittings being put back.
Sandgate Parish Councillor Tim Prater commented:
"The repainted columns look really smart, and with the annual hanging basket display and now traditional flags going up in Sandgate High Street in the next few weeks it will all look great.
"The cost of repainting the columns is incredible though. You may think Kent Highways would periodically repaint their own streetlights, but you would assume wrong.
"The only reason this is being done now is that Shepway Council are paying to do so, and Kent Highways are charging hundreds of pounds a column to paint them. It actually looks like they are making a nice job, but for that money so they should!
"Of course, there are other companies that could paint the columns, but they'd require licences from, wait for it, Kent Highways. With a closed shop system like that, no wonder they get away with charging taxpayers so much to repaint columns THEY should be paying to maintain."
Sign up
for email updates
