Can the devolved budget be used to fund DIY projects or projects carried out by “local” contractors?
No. There are a number of issues associated with this:- The concept of Streetpride is to have all environmental works carried out by properly trained people who are competent to carry them out and who look the part. Consequently, all Streetpride staff wear distinctive uniforms and use properly liveried and maintained vehicles. Eventually, it will be a requirement of all partner organisations to adopt these protocols. Accordingly, it is not appropriate for Council money to be used to fund works which do not conform to these standards. There are Health and Safety issues associated with DIY projects and again it would not be appropriate for the Council to be involved financially where there is any risk of taking on liabilities in this regard. The use of DIY enthusiasts and “local” contractors would be against the Council’s standing orders in that it is unlikely that there would have been a proper procurement process in arriving at these arrangements. Finally and probably most importantly,
