There is no need of head offices for local councils. We live in an age of computing when most staff could work from home or out and about.

There is also the waste of duplicate councils instead of having just unitary councils, with no head office, thus huge savings in management costs.

Croydon could re-sell their head offices to be renovated into luxury serviced apartments, as London is a magnet for foreign investment. By being serviced apartments, this generates jobs locally.

The umbrella wrapping machine could be part of the Concierge service for the luxury owners or renters, for a fee.

So no waste and all can be sold on, to recoup all the millions wasted on this project.

The councillors, having misspent funds, and not providing the services that council tax are for, can then be subjected to a local referendum to cut their numbers and save permanently on their expenses. Sharing management costs with neighbouring councils as well.

The state pension is paid even if you decide not to leave work, so the rehired lollipop ladies, elder and disabled carers, employees for services to mental health and youth locally, would get something like a living income between low wages and the state pension.