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£1.3m spent on Downing Street repairs
13 Mar 2009More than £1 million of taxpayers' money was spent on repairs and maintenance on the Downing Street estate in 2007-08, the Prime Minister said today.
Gordon Brown said the £1.3 million total figure included the "exceptional" cost of £810,664 for "essential work" to the exterior of the estate.
The work was undertaken to ensure the estate was at the right standard for its Grade 1-2 listed status required by English Heritage.
In a written reply to Tory John Baron (Billericay), Mr Brown said the total amount spent on Downing Street in 2007-08 included "maintenance of fixed assets, the fabric of the building, floors, walls and ceilings and the upkeep and repair of heritage assets".
As part of the £1.3 million, some £28,000 was spent on routine maintenance on the flat above 11 Downing Street in 2007-08.
The Prime Minister said: "The Downing Street estate is undergoing essential maintenance work required to maintain it to the standards appropriate to its Grade 1/2 listed status required by English Heritage."
Reader views (3)
Downing Street is nothing more than temporary social housing for temporary tenants.
I hope after spending all that money; they now have an indoor toilet.
£1.3 million seems a lot; you could rebuild the whole of Downing Street for that amount of cash; including anti terrorist crash barriers.
I remember the days you could walk into Downing Street without Armed Police stopping you; and stand by the door of number 10; to have a photo taken; those were the days after World War 1 & 2.
It seems nobody feels safe anymore; since the world wars ended; I wonder why that is?
- Mickyinlondon, london, 14/03/2009 12:47
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So given the shocking NEWS (documentation) that came out yesterday about the lead-up to 10 Downing Street's invasion on Iraq, no doubt all this maintenance work was simply covering up the cracks and any evidence that might have been left lying around (i.e. underneath floorboards and/or in secret compartments behind walls)!
- Fraser, Telford Park, 13/03/2009 22:02
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downing street is not the only political edifice that needs urgent repair, or perhaps demolition. the entire inept, corrupt, politically, morally and financially bankrupt political system is in need of positive change.
the wind of change and dawn of a brave new age demands that we abandon that that is patently unworkable, beyond redemption and a dinosaur in the new age.
equality, justice, meritocracy, fairness, humility, humanity and an equal global distribution of wealth would be an ethos from which to launch ourselves into a positive future.
- M.O'Brien, london.uk, 13/03/2009 18:22
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