Blue plaque funding cut
Discussion
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-england-london-209264...
"Funds have been cut from £130m in 2010/11......The scheme, responsible for 869 plaques across London"
How much to run 900 static signs that may need a paint every couple of years??
"A spokeswoman said it costs an average £965 per plaque.
She said that by reducing the team by two full-time equivalent posts and suspending installations, about £120,000 would be saved each year for two years"
I think someone is being ripped off here. Is it really just a committee to decide who gets a plaque then Dave to come along and drill two holes in someones wall or am I overlooking £129,000,500's worth of cost somewhere?
"Funds have been cut from £130m in 2010/11......The scheme, responsible for 869 plaques across London"
How much to run 900 static signs that may need a paint every couple of years??
"A spokeswoman said it costs an average £965 per plaque.
She said that by reducing the team by two full-time equivalent posts and suspending installations, about £120,000 would be saved each year for two years"
I think someone is being ripped off here. Is it really just a committee to decide who gets a plaque then Dave to come along and drill two holes in someones wall or am I overlooking £129,000,500's worth of cost somewhere?
otolith said:
"Cuts have to be made - what will cause the greatest publicity"
should the cuts be hidden? surely the public have a right to knowof ocurse in this case no one might give a toss about blue plaques.
I've seen a plaque for Benny Hill in central London but it looks liek it wasn't put up by these guys.
Mojooo said:
should the cuts be hidden?
Yes. If it is possible to make cuts without their effects being visible at all, absolutely. And if that is the case, someone should get their arse kicked for not having already stopped spending money for no discernable benefit. Failing the possibility of hiding them completely, however, any cuts which have to be made should be chosen to minimise their impact upon the taxpaying public, which appears to be the opposite strategy to that favoured by public sector management.
Edited by otolith on Monday 7th January 11:40
I can well understand them averaging out to £1000 each. There'll need to be research carried out, a bit of paperwork, maybe some PR with the local press and an unveiling, production on a fairly low scale of the plaques, site survey and often these will be on important buildings so more complications to bring up the average cost. The building owner won't want a couple of cowboys coming along and making a mess of things.
£1000 seems a fairly reasonable average cost to do the job properly IMHO.
As a total saving though, I can't imagine shelving the scheme will make any huge savings so I'm somewhat inclined to think doing so does act as a political statement. However if necessary I'd prefer they paused this scheme rather than cut back on essential maintenance to important buildings.
£1000 seems a fairly reasonable average cost to do the job properly IMHO.
As a total saving though, I can't imagine shelving the scheme will make any huge savings so I'm somewhat inclined to think doing so does act as a political statement. However if necessary I'd prefer they paused this scheme rather than cut back on essential maintenance to important buildings.
rpguk said:
I can well understand them averaging out to £1000 each. There'll need to be research carried out, a bit of paperwork, maybe some PR with the local press and an unveiling, production on a fairly low scale of the plaques, site survey and often these will be on important buildings so more complications to bring up the average cost. The building owner won't want a couple of cowboys coming along and making a mess of things.
£1000 seems a fairly reasonable average cost to do the job properly IMHO.
As a total saving though, I can't imagine shelving the scheme will make any huge savings so I'm somewhat inclined to think doing so does act as a political statement. However if necessary I'd prefer they paused this scheme rather than cut back on essential maintenance to important buildings.
Good point about the research etc£1000 seems a fairly reasonable average cost to do the job properly IMHO.
As a total saving though, I can't imagine shelving the scheme will make any huge savings so I'm somewhat inclined to think doing so does act as a political statement. However if necessary I'd prefer they paused this scheme rather than cut back on essential maintenance to important buildings.
I am in favour of the plaques, I plan to have one on the house I was born in
Gassing Station | News, Politics & Economics | Top of Page | What's New | My Stuff