I could barely believe what I read in the article in the Spalding Voice (January 15).
I am a 77-year-old retired mechanical engineer and metal fabricator who ran my own small business up to the age of 67, and I am convinced that the above budget is more than sufficient to pay for the manufacture and installation of completely new replacements, including hot-dip galvanising, painting and installation, as opposed to mere refurbishment.
Consequently, this proposal begs the question: what planet are these public servants from?
The article states that a council spokesman claimed that the cost “would not impact on local council tax, as the money would come from a Spalding Special Reserve Fund”. However he failed to state that contents of that fund were the result of previous “impacts”.
When will these council jobsworths ever acknowledge that every penny in the council’s coffers originated from the pockets of taxpayers both national and local? Given that only the private sector can create wealth, whilst the public sector simply consumes it.
The problem arises when wealth consumption exceeds wealth creation, as is the case on a national level.
Although the current government frequently boasts that they have halved the deficit during their current tenure, they never ever reveal that the national debt has consistently risen month by month for the last five years.
The national debt currently stands at £1.5m and continues to rise, some financial gurus contend that it would take 30 years to clear this debt at current levels.
In view of the above, there is absolutely no valid reason for South Holland District Council to waste money on what is essentially a vanity project.
As for the named fund, there are far more worthy projects (too numerous to mention) that would benefit, if it is really essential to spend that money.
Up to January 2014, I was an active campaigner on the late Bill Johnson’s valiant crusade to get unfettered public access to the Sir Halley Stewart playing field.
During that time, I conducted in-depth research of the district council’s website, and together with an FOI request, I was able to glean the following information:
In the five financial years 2008/9 to 2012/13, the district council’s total expenditure on the Sir Halley Stewart Playing Field was £190,000, whilst income was a mere £34,000, leaving a deficit of £156,000, equating to an annual average of £31,500.
I repeat, these figures cannot be denied, as they are a matter of public record.
These figures could be partly excusable if the venue was a public facility that Spalding’s general public could access at will. That is not the case as the general public are physically locked out (except on football match days).
If a further reason for this ill thought project should not be allowed to go ahead, is that if the gates were refurbished as suggested, it would only serve to highlight the stark contrast between the gates and the sombre grey stockade-like concrete fence, which always reminds me of the hated Berlin wall that was eventually demolished.
Furthermore the only beneficiary of the council’s largesse would be Spalding United Football Club (as is the case now) who pay a peppercorn figure for exclusive use of the facility.
A prime example being the financial year 2011/12 shows that income from all football (including juniors training sessions) was the princely sum of £2,554, which was insufficient to settle even the lowest of the utility bills for that year.
Finally, I challenge council leader Gary Porter to instruct his acolytes and minions to veto this ridiculous project when it comes up for full council approval in February.
Gerry Hutchinson
Willder’s Garth
Holbeach
