COUNCIL LEADER CALLS FOR BRITISH STEEL TO BE USED IN £5-MILLION REPAIRS TO GRIMSBY'S LANDMARK CORPORATION BRIDGE

Corporation Bridge - as a lad NELC's deputy leader, John Fenty, used to jump off it into the icy waters below

                                                           

A CALL has come for British-manufactured steel to be used in the forthcoming repair programme for Grimsby's Grade II Corporation Bridge. 

It was sounded by North East Lincolnshire Council leader Cllr Philip Jackson, chairing  a cabinet meeting to approve the works.

The cost will be almost £5-million - with the authority chipping in with £1.83-million to supplement a grant of £2.97-million from the Department of Transport.

Cllr Stewart Swinburn, who will be overseeing the project, responded that which ever firm wins the contract will need to guarantee "sustainability" and "quality".

He was optimistic Britain would be the source of the steel. 

However, rules on procurement, fair competition and value for money are likely to come into the equation before any decision is made on the contract award.

Unfortunately, the bridge will almost certainly  have to close for a period of time, causing disruption and negative reaction from some members of the public. 

Alternative routes will be set up using the same procedure as if the bridge is being lifted for its annual check.

The discussions prompted a series of light-hearted observations from other cabinet members about their relationship with the grand old swing bridge which was built in 1925. 

"As a boy, I used to jump off it into Alexandra Dock," recalled NELC's deputy leader, Cllr John Fenty. "I also fished from it."

Stan Shreeve revealed that, in childhood, he used to have nightmares about being stranded in the middle of the bride at a time when it was being raised.

He denied a jibe from Cllr Swinburn that he had been  alive at the time  when the bride was built.

Further debate was cut short by the chairman. "This isn't a competition,"he reminded colleagues.

Note: As deputy chief executive Joanne Hewson pointed out, models of both the corporation bridge and the dock tower are featured at Legoland in Windsor.

* Photo: David Wright via Wikimedia Commons