COUNCILLORS may get themselves involved in a bit of do-it-yourself in Royston town centre. It has been suggested they arm themselves with brushes in a move to put a new lick of paint on bollards and railings which are looking unsightly. Indeed, the last

COUNCILLORS may get themselves involved in a bit of do-it-yourself in Royston town centre.

It has been suggested they arm themselves with brushes in a move to put a new lick of paint on bollards and railings which are looking unsightly.

Indeed, the last time any decorating was carried out on town centre street furniture was three years ago - and North Herts District Council does not have a provision for such work in its current budget.

Cllr F John Smith has told other members of the district council's Royston area committee: "It seems it's time to get the paint brushes out."

The suggestion of a do-it-yourself exercise in the town centre came after councillors examined a report from community officer Alan Fleck on highways and street furniture issues.

His report pointed out such problems as:

- The need for street furniture re-painting

- The replacement of damaged street furniture with "inappropriate" materials

- Repairs needed to paving slabs and paviors

The report says that where cast iron bollards have been damaged the repair work surrounding them has been carried out with "varying degrees of care".

"Where original materials have become loose and subsequently gone missing, Tarmac has been used as a replacement regardless of the original context," said the report.

A bollard near The Bull in the High Street - installed to deter parking on an area of paving - had been removed and replaced with both concrete and Tarmac.

"This suggests that a pragmatic decision may have been taken to remove the bollard on the grounds that it had been knocked down more than once, or that it had been broken and no replacement was available.

"It would appear that the removal of the bollard has enabled vehicles to park on the area, damaging the paving slabs of which several have been replaced with a varying degree of success."

The report asked: "This begs the question whether it is cheaper to replace the bollard or replace the slabs."

There is criticism, too, in the report about "inappropriate materials" being used on broken street gutters which means they are no longer functional.

The report adds that much of the re-painting work in the town centre could be carried out by volunteers or members of the Royston Town Centre Forum.

Or, as has been suggested, even councillors.