The people of Bentilee have turned their back on austerity and voted in a referendum for town hall money be spent on bonfires rather than jobs.
In a vote last weekend, residents were asked to decide whether the town hall should spend £150,000 on starting (and later stopping) fires or paying local people to carry out odd jobs.
Bentilee mayor Phil "Hiroshima" Hardy had decided to put the money the town hall usually spends on summer employment to the vote. Although unemployment in Bentilee is 51%, the bonfire option won by 242 votes to 181.
In a vote last weekend, residents were asked to decide whether the town hall should spend £150,000 on starting (and later stopping) fires or paying local people to carry out odd jobs.
Bentilee mayor Phil "Hiroshima" Hardy had decided to put the money the town hall usually spends on summer employment to the vote. Although unemployment in Bentilee is 51%, the bonfire option won by 242 votes to 181.
"That much money isn't really going to create a lot of work, so I'd rather it was spent on fires," one Bentilee resident said.
As with many towns in Stoke, fires are a central part of local summer activities. The industry is in crisis, however, because the city council and local town halls are slashing their budgets.
The number of bonfires across the city has fallen 46% in five years, and many firestarters are cutting their losses and working freelance, or for pleasure only.
Last year there were 1,177 fires in Stoke, down from 2,176 in 2010.
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