A survey asking where £20m of government funding should be spent that was meant to go to every home in Spalding cost more than £15,000 it’s been revealed.
As reported last week, John Bland, the chair of the Spalding Civic Society, had expressed disappointment that the paper documents had not been delivered to all homes in the town as planned as part of the research carried out by the Spalding Town Board.
Following that article, resident Vic Paterson submitted a Freedom of Information request to South Holland District Council that revealed Leeds-based firm Resource was paid to carry out the design, printing and delivery of the leaflet to 21,235 properties at a cost of £16,090.
However, after it was revealed some homes didn’t receive the survey, the company offered a £750 refund.
At an initial cost of around 76p per copy, that refund would equate to just under 1,000 surveys not being delivered
The Voice asked the board and South Holland District Council the number of households that did not receive surveys but did not receive any answers. Neither was an answer received as to whether the contract for creating and distributing the surveys went out to tender.
As part of the FOI, the district council responded to Ms Paterson’s question on how the company was chosen by saying it was ‘on previous experience’.
“Resource have a long history of delivering resident mailings and are particularly active within the affordable housing sector,” the response states.
Board chair Robin Hancox had previously said he was pleased that 507 people had responded to the survey on what the previous government’s pledge to give the town £2m a year for ten years should be spent on.
Ms Paterson told The Voice that the money spent equated to £30 a response.
“It would be nice to see some numbers considering the cost and the fact that John Bland has previously said that ‘the surveys that were completed represent a very low proportion of the 500 surveys returned’.
“As a local business owner I want Spalding to thrive, but I have to be careful to ensure value for money.
“The board is made up of large business owners and politicians and some local interest groups – it seems like they don’t have the same thoughts about being careful with our money.”
A spokesman for the Spalding Town Board told The Voice: “Using funds provided by the previous government, the council has commissioned a detailed communications and engagement plan on behalf of the Spalding Town Board to help shape a new ten-year vision and three-year investment plan for the town in line with the original Long Term Plan for Towns guidance.
“This included a number of opportunities for local residents to have their say on their future aspirations for our town and has generated a very good level of response.
“The costs cited for the consultation to date include print and design services as well as the local distribution costs.
“We will be publishing more information shortly on the findings of the initial consultation work and look forward to sharing and submitting the identified priorities for new investment into Spalding with the new government as soon as we are able to do so.”
