Scarborough Borough Council (SBC) Council Tax payers should question why SBC have wasted £46,000 on unlawful Public Spaces Protection Orders (PSPOs) signage.

In a response to a Freedom of Information request I made SBC stated:

“I can confirm that there are 15 signs in place in respect of the Car Cruising PSPO and 100 signs in place in respect of the Street Drinking, Psychoactive Substances, Urinating and Defecating PSPO. The Council does not hold recorded information on the exact number of signs in place for Dog Fouling, as this falls within the Dog PSPO which includes signage for seasonal dog bans, dogs on leads and dog fouling.”

It is believed that signage for Dog Fouling will be at least double the 115 for the Car Cruising PSPO and the Street Drinking, Psychoactive Substances, Urinating and Defecating PSPO.

230 signs @ £200 per sign = £46,000. This would pay the annual salary of two street cleaners or one paralegal.

A paralegal would take less than an hour to inform her bosses at SBC that the signage, which must be on the public highway, if erected would be unlawful as it is not permitted signage within the Traffic Signs Regulations and General Directions 2016.

All such signage on the public highway must be removed.

So why has Lisa Dixon, the Director of Legal & Democratic Services permitted the waste of £46,000?