It's nearly Christmas and time for the traditional Scrooge council story. This year, the prize goes to Devon County Council, which is charging Exmouth Round Table £45 to hang its Christmas tree lights cable 20ft above the pavement in the Magnolia Centre.
In previous years there has been no fee for this vital piece of paper. But yes, you've guessed it, in these times of austerity, the council has to cover the cost of administration. So the Tablers will just have to shake their tins for that little bit longer this year to raise the extra money. The fact that the cash could have gone to a good cause has failed to impress the stony-hearted bureaucrats at County Hall, where no doubt there is a strict limit on the lumps of coal being thrown onto the fire.
Oh, by the way, this is the same council that was planning to spend £30,000 on a bus shelter in The Strand in Exmouth. No wait, it's based on a design from Venice and the price has gone up to £60,000... sorry, I meant £90,000, we forgot to put seats in... oh dear, it's now at £110,000. Thankfully the plan has now been withdrawn before the cost rises even higher, and is under review.
Apparently the design had a series of flat roofs. Then someone remembered Exmouth is by the coast and the shelter would have ended up as the perfect perch for hordes of seagulls as they wait for the next bag of discarded chips to pounce on.
The first set of designs for an 'iconic' shelter went on display in 2010. Now the latest scheme is back on the drawing board as bus travellers face another winter standing in the cold and wet. Merry Christmas one and all!
