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Palm seafront revamp set to cost £150,000 (From Echo)
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Palm seafront revamp set to cost £150,000
4:40pm Monday 8th February 2010
THE cost of a makeover for Southend seafront, which involves planting 100 palm trees, has been revealed as £150,000.
Southend Council will spend the money giving the seafront around Western Esplanade a dramatic makeover. It includes a new cycle track and changing the layout of parking spaces.
The tree-planting, which aims to give the seafront a “riviera” feel, is set to begin in the spring with some palms being planted in Eastern Esplanade.
But some residents have complained planting the palm trees is unnecessary and the total cost of the scheme seems expensive.
Peggy Dowie, chairman of the Southend Pier Museum Foundation Trust, said: “I can’t see the point of it to be honest.
“I would much prefer our own English trees to be put in. In this financial climate with everything being cut, I do think it’s a bit much.
“I’m sure the money could be better deployed somewhere else.”
Mrs Dowie believes the council should spend the money on saving the community mental health team for older people, which is being cut.
She said: “I feel they should put the money where it’s most needed. It’s disgraceful what’s happening.”
Anna Waite, Southend councillor responsible for transport and planning, said the council was paying for the seafront project. She said the money could not be spent elsewhere as it was effectively ring-fenced because it was part of match funding to secure a £3.2million Cycling England grant in 2008.
The grant and match-funding is paying for a programme of works to build and upgrade cycle routes across the borough.
She said: “The Cycle England money can only be spent on cycling projects and we can’t spend it on anything else.
“I know we have an economic problem, but all this creates employment in the local community.
“If we make the seafront more attractive, we get more visitors and create more economic activity in the town.”
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Your Say YourEcho
emcee, Southend says...
5:13pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Nebs, Westcliff-on-Sea says...
8:33pm Mon 8 Feb 10
In the private sector a good manager is one who can save money and come in under budget. In the public sector a good manager is one who can spend every penny of their budget.
x2k, Southend on Sea says...
10:05pm Mon 8 Feb 10
Nebs wrote:I reckon you're spot on there. These government grants are flawed because, as you've said, they have to be spent by a particular deadline. And, as mentioned in the article, it has to be spent on what it was specified for.
It's February. You know what that means. A rush for councils and government departments to spend all their budgets before 31st March. Don't worry what you spend it on, just spend it.
In the private sector a good manager is one who can save money and come in under budget. In the public sector a good manager is one who can spend every penny of their budget.
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It seems that if it doesn't get spent, the government gets it back, and the council doesn't get any more grants.
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So, although it's a seemingly pointless scheme, it would, perversely, be more of a waste NOT spending it. I guess at least this way, a fairly bare stretch of Western Esplanade will look a little nicer.
woodsman, benfleet says...
11:06pm Mon 8 Feb 10
perini, Leigh on Sea says...
1:30am Tue 9 Feb 10
woodsman wrote:Quite typical I would have thought! F**kwit non-joined up thinking done by councillors - need one say anymore?
So they cut down mature English trees at Vic Circus and want toplant non native trees on the seafront! Something wrong here I think!
gripe, says...
7:24am Tue 9 Feb 10
essexboi1989, southend says...
8:25am Tue 9 Feb 10
sorry to be grim but it's the state of modern society :-(
radioman, westcliff-on-sea says...
9:11am Tue 9 Feb 10
fishandchips, Leigh says...
9:25am Tue 9 Feb 10
SARFENDMAN, Rayleigh says...
11:49am Tue 9 Feb 10
fishandchips wrote:So that's why they go brown.
What's wrong? Dogs love Peeing on Palm Trees.
firedog, Southend-on-sea says...
4:53pm Tue 9 Feb 10
southendreb, southend says...
6:00pm Tue 9 Feb 10
firedog wrote:Improve hahaha
No wonder the Austrailians call us "Wingeing poms".Anyone who tries to improve this town is criticised.Every one can do it better until they know the facts or have to make a decision.
this is a joke dont beleive me go round the town and look at the palmtrees already here
You obviously dont follow local politics
southendreb, southend says...
6:00pm Tue 9 Feb 10
firedog wrote:Improve hahaha
No wonder the Austrailians call us "Wingeing poms".Anyone who tries to improve this town is criticised.Every one can do it better until they know the facts or have to make a decision.
this is a joke dont beleive me go round the town and look at the palmtrees already here
You obviously dont follow local politics
emcee, Southend says...
3:02am Wed 10 Feb 10
firedog wrote:Improvement is good. Great even. But if the outside of your house needs improving you would not paint it yellow with purple spots.
No wonder the Austrailians call us "Wingeing poms".Anyone who tries to improve this town is criticised.Every one can do it better until they know the facts or have to make a decision.
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SARFENDMAN, Rayleigh says...
4:55pm Mon 8 Feb 10
As for the cycle track, a good fair few still prefer the road or path as I witnessed yesterday. Other countries simply keep the wide paths with a white line marking the cycle track. Too simple here and also too cheap an option.