A cash-strapped local authority has failed to sell its flashy private registration plate – despite promising to make money off it.
East Renfrewshire Council claimed in January that showbiz stars such as Harry Styles may be prepared to pay £150,000 for their redundant civic plate, HS 0.
The local authority said the money would be used to help plug a £30million budget gap facing the council’s finances.
But a Freedom of Information request found the council has not even put the prized plate up for sale.
The response also shows the plan has cost public money – because officials hired a photographer to carry out publicity pictures. The council even failed to choose an auction house, where a sale would allow prospective buyers to bid for it.
The council said at the time: “The sale of the registration HS 0 presents the opportunity to generate a sizeable sum.
“It would be imprudent not to consider the sale of something which serves no real purpose.”
East Renfrewshire Independent councillor David Macdonald said: “I cannot help but feel this was, perhaps, motivated not
by raising additional funds for the council but more for the widespread publicity.
“This doesn’t really surprise me with the current leadership at the helm of East Renfrewshire.
“It’s a leadership style entirely obsessed with PR and optics over substantive delivery on anything meaningful.”
Many local authorities own private registration plates.
Edinburgh’s S0, S10 and SS10 and Glasgow’s G0 and V0 have been said to be worth £500,000 each.
Residents in East Renfrewshire were hit by a six per cent council tax rise last month.
A spokesperson for East Renfrewshire Council said: "This is an unusual sale and the council had to carry out due diligence to ensure best value is achieved for local residents.
"We have contacted a number of auction houses and a decision will be taken soon on which one to go with.
"Given the level of interest generated, we are still confident our number plate will fetch a six-figure sum."
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