A council leader has refused to step into a growing row over a crowdfunded holiday for a popular street cleaner, telling the local MP to “better inform” himself before getting involved.
When more than 200 residents of Beckenham, south-east London, raised almost £3,000 to send road sweeper Paul Spiers on a summer break in Portugal, it seemed like an example of neighbourly generosity.
But Veolia, the waste management company employing Spiers, 63, said he could not take the money because its staff are prohibited from accepting “gifts or incentives”.
The issue, they said, was out of their hands. “Our contract with Bromley council does not permit our staff to accept any monies or incentives outside of agreed pay structures,” a spokesperson said.
On Tuesday morning Liam Conlon, the new Labour MP for Beckenham and Penge, published a letter to the Conservative leader of Bromley council, calling on him to “take a common sense approach” to allow Spiers to visit family in Portugal.
“I have today written to councillor Colin Smith to ask what action can be taken,” said Conlon. “I hope they will be able to take a common sense approach, which upholds the council’s high ethical standards, while allowing Paul to enjoy the holiday we all want him to have.”
When contacted by the Guardian, Smith shared the personal response he had sent to Conlon on Monday night. It read: “I very much hope that since sending ‘your’ message that your team have bothered to take the time and effort to read Veolia’s position statement on related matters to better inform themselves as to their conundrum and their proposed way forward in response.”
Smith told the Guardian: “Whilst I understand that Mr Conlon has been an MP for a full 40 days now, I would advise it is better to wait for a response to a letter before publicising it.
“For any avoidance of doubt for anybody being misled on social media by others playing politics, this is a matter between Veolia and one of their employees and the council is not in a position to instruct them contractually,” he added.
“On a personal note, since this story broke, I am very pleased to see that Veolia have recognised Mr Spiers’ add-on value to both their own organisation and the community he serves so excellently in Beckenham as well. Long may both continue.”
Veolia has said it will match the amount of money raised and donate it to a charity nominated by Spiers. “Paul will be the recipient of Bromley’s employee of the quarter – an internal financial reward to recognise his hard work and dedication,” the spokesperson said.
The mayor of Bromley, David Jefferys, has said that he is supportive of local residents’ suggestions that he ensure Spiers gets the money by setting up a special mayor’s prize for him – but that he too was dependent on the council.
“I could look at something like [a special award for Paul]. It’s a possibility,” he said. “I know Paul very well and the fantastic work he does for the community is exactly the sort of work that should be recognised but this is an issue for the council to decide.”
On Monday residents described how Spiers, who has worked as a road sweeper in Bromley for seven years, had lifted spirits with his “positive presence” and Elvis Presley playing on a portable speaker, and kept the streets immaculate.
