TRAFFORD Council announced proposals to spend £100,000 on refurbishing Carrington Depot in the same week it confirmed it will be cutting 89 posts.


The depot building, which the council rents from Peel Holdings, acts as a base for the council’s environment, transport and operations department – which comprises street lighting, highways and drainage and ground force teams, among others.


Sean O’Hanlon, who is a GMB trade union conveyer, based at the depot, said the timing ‘could not have been worse’.


Mr O’Hanlon, who is also a lighting operative for the council, said: “Last week we were sent a letter asking for our opinions because the council has got £100,000 to spend on Carrington Depot – things like new carpets, a new paint job and shrubbery – and then a couple of days later they announce the next round of budget cuts.
“The timing just could not have been worse.”


Mr O’Hanlon said departments based at the depot are among the hardest hit by job cuts announced in the council’s 2014/15 budget proposals – with the tree unit, parks and green spaces and street lighting all said to be affected.


“I raised it in the meeting that £100,000 could be used to save a job for another year and the phrase used was ‘that is a short term solution’,” said Mr O’Hanlon.


“We were told that if we don’t spend the £100,000 it will just be spent somewhere else, I just think it’s a disgusting – especially as they don’t even own the building.”


A spokesman for Trafford Council said: “Trafford Council is currently consulting with staff regarding a number of options for making improvements to the Carrington Depot in order to improve their working environment.


“At this stage we are only gathering feedback and suggestions from staff on affordable means of improving the accommodation.


“A decision has not yet been made as to what these improvements will be.”