Cash-strapped Cheshire East Council has splashed out more than £22,000 on dishwashers for staff at its Crewe headquarters, writes Belinda Ryan.
The money was spent as part of the refurbishment of Delamere House when the council closed its Westfields HQ at Sandbach and transferred staff across.
The cost was revealed in a Freedom of Information request which had asked how much the council had spent on purchasing and installing the machines.
The FOI had also asked how this was funded and the reasons and justification for buying the dishwashers, “particularly in light of the council’s current financial situation”.
The council responded: “Following the closure of the Westfields office in Sandbach, many staff have been relocated to Delamere House in Crewe.
“The kitchen areas in the building have not been upgraded for many years.
“With the significant increase in staff use, it is important to provide a clean and comfortable working environment.
“This investment will contribute to a more efficient and effective workforce and will reduce the housekeeping resources needed to maintain hygienic conditions.”
It added: “The cost to purchase and install the dishwashers was £22,221.46, which is part of the ongoing running costs of our assets.”
Cllr Stewart Gardiner, deputy leader of the Conservative group on Cheshire East Council, was surprised to learn how much the council had splashed out on the dishwashers.
Cllr Gardiner told the Local Democracy Reporting Service: “While I recognise there is a need to ensure that modern equipment is appropriately installed into our staffing areas, it seems excessive given the number of machines that would be required and the limited cost to install them.
“I will be asking the chief executive to explain the reasoning behind the council’s decision.”
The cost of dishwashers on a major retailer’s site vary from £229 to £1,879.
According to tradesperson websites, the average cost to install a dishwasher typically ranges between £40 and £100, depending on the type of dishwasher and how straightforward the task is.
“Biscuit” presumably you work for the council, with such an idiotic response. Possibly even the person that signed off the spend.
The point is not that the council have bought a dishwasher for the office at all, that clearly wouldn’t have made the news or been an issue as such. The point is that they have spent £22,000 on them. This is a failing council, struggling for money from all angles – yet procurement are happy to sign off on a spend of £22,000 for dishwashers across 5 floors. Does each staff member get one as part of their desk set up?
In no normal business would such wasteful spending be allowed to continue. Presumably on that spend amount, a reasonably ‘senior’ member of the procurement team would have to sign off on it. The problem is the culture – if management there genuinely believe that such a spend is ok, what hope do we have that they will ever spend our money in a positive way?
I assume they have sinks and hot water?
Home Bargains sells dishmops and washing up liquid for about £1 each…there, I’ve saved the council £22K.
Rubber gloves would have been a better option….one pair per person/gender/non binary/whatever your orientation neutral colour…..so no contamination issues.
Never come across a more wasteful council, who don’t do feasibility studies, or give a iota to using rate payers money purposefully.
Better spending the money on training the staff how to manually wash pots in a sink with hot water and washing up liquid?…??
Is there a dish washer in every other office or have they got more kitchen’s
then offices ?
Did anyone cost the extra running costs of so many dishwashers.
Absolutely ludicrous
Lol, all the knuckle draggers out in force, guess they’d much rather the staff spent there time washing up rather than working, maybe they should clean the offices after work too. Can’t imagine any house let alone office doesn’t have a dishwasher these days as they save time and money.
Let’s not kid ourselves…….they don’t give a ****
This a disgrace and they want to devolve and give themselves even more power!
Let’s not forget a large chunk will be hybrid/home working too.
The council that built multi million pound carpark next to 3 other carparks.
Words fail me.
Absolutely abhorrent waste of tax payers money…….totally irresponsible……
Horrible people
Even with installation costs that is a lot of expenditure. Delamere House has 7 floors.
So how many per floor?
Who got that contract thats about 71 dish washers in the building, this council is out of control and it appears not accountable,just like building an £11 million multi story car park that is not used
I worked for a major corporate. We were responsible for washing up the cups we used. There may be some financial benefit if you have a large work force. I understand the sentiment suggesting it is waste of money.
There should be a feasibility study to support the decision, with a full pros/ cons matrix and full details of the potential savings by taking this course of action.
However I doubt that there is ?
It is minor compared with the numerous financial failures and incompetence of the Cheshire East Council.
So washing you coffee cup up in the sink is to hard for them then.
This is typical of the disregard this council hold the electorate in,are services are cut while their’s is improved.
Has every council member now got their personalised dishwasher ?
Unbelievable