A Reform UK-led council has been left red-faced after workers repainted road markings outside a school that has been closed for nearly a decade.
The Costly Mistake
Kent County Council (KCC) has apologised for what it calls an "error" after repainting yellow zigzags and "School Keep Clear" warnings outside the former site of Halfway Houses Primary School in Sheerness. The school moved to another location in October 2016 and hasn't operated from the original site since.
The mistake has drawn criticism and confusion from local residents and opposition councillors, with many labelling the unnecessary paint work "a farce". The council sold the disused school buildings and grounds to Government agency Homes England in March this year, making the fresh road markings even more puzzling.
Local Reaction and Council Response
Mike Whiting, an independent councillor for Swale Borough Council, expressed his frustration on Facebook, questioning the council's financial management. "What on earth is going on at cash-strapped Kent County Council?" he wrote. "Rather than saving money, they have just repainted the yellow 'School Keep Clear' lines in Southdown Road, Halfway, almost 10 years after the school closed."
Local residents joined in the criticism, with one neighbour commenting: "This has really tickled me. I live in the same road and this school hasn't been open all the time I've lived here."
Peter Osborne, cabinet member for highways and transport for KCC, issued an apology, stating: "The repainting of the 'School Keep Clear' markings on Southdown Road was carried out in error, and we're sorry for any confusion this may have caused."
The council revealed that the cost of painting these lines was £350 from their annual £1 million budget for signs and lines replacement. Osborne emphasised that "mistakes like these are exceedingly rare" and that the council takes its financial responsibilities seriously.
Broader Context for Reform Council
This incident represents the latest controversy for KCC since Reform UK won 57 out of 81 seats at the local elections in May, overturning a 30-year Conservative majority. The council's composition has since changed, with the party now having 48 councillors after removing nine.
Most of these removals appear to be connected to a leaked video showing KCC leader Linden Kemkaran shouting and swearing at her members. Several party members in Kent were suspended after footage of the meeting was leaked last month, showing the council leader berating backbench councillors who questioned her.
Former Reform councillor Bill Barrett has described the expulsions as "operation clean sweep" and claimed the KCC hierarchy wanted to eliminate councillors who challenged them.
The road marking blunder has raised questions about communication within the council, with Councillor Whiting suggesting that different departments need to "talk to each other more" to prevent such wasteful errors occurring in future.
