A rare car registration plate being sold to help plug East Renfrewshire’s budget gap has already piqued the interest of an England rugby player.
The licence plate will go under the hammer after cabinet members backed the move.
It is hoped the HS 0 plate — inherited from the former Eastwood District Council — could be sold for a six-figure sum.
READ MORE: Glasgow murder trial told son found mum with hands and feet bound and part of her skull missing
Announcing the plans last week, the council suggested celebrities with the initials, such as singer Harry Styles or TV presenter Helen Skelton, might want to buy the plate.
And, after sharing it on social media, the council received a response from England and Exeter rugby star Henry Slade, who said: “How much we talking?”
The council responded that his people should get in touch to discuss the plate.
East Renfrewshire Council is facing a funding shortfall of £30m over the next three years and, on Thursday, the cabinet agreed to sell the plate to raise money.
An official said: “It has not been in use since the lease on the council’s car expired last year and has now been identified as a potential way for the council to generate a capital receipt in the face of a challenging financial landscape.
“It is thought the sale could generate a six figure sum for the council.”
It will be sold at auction with a “suitable reserve to protect the council’s interests”. The official said HS was “the prefix used for Renfrewshire” and ‘0’ would “have been the first one in a series perhaps”.
Cllr Danny Devlin asked whether there had been any interest.
“Before we brought this proposal forward, we had had some interest but we wanted to make sure we took it forward, publicised it appropriately and took the appropriate channels,” the official said.
She added there had been “some interest, we’ve had a lot of correspondence”, including “an England rugby player on Twitter”.
Cllr Katie Pragnell praised the council’s communication team for “getting the message out”. “It was the talk of social media and media, even newspapers in Belfast picked up this development in the council.”
Council leader Owen O’Donnell added: “I think the publicity campaign was genius, to get East Renfrewshire on the front page of various papers along with a picture of Harry Styles, was pretty awesome.
“We look forward to a strong bid from Harry Styles at any point.”
READ NEXT -
Little boy force fed soap by woman who terrorised another with knife
Glasgow gangster has prison escort and is handcuffed to guard as he gives eulogy at mum's funeral
Family 'floored' as Glasgow DHL delivery driver who killed granny in van horror spared jail
Glasgow mum lost two stone prioritising feeding her children after losing job
Huge Glasgow social housing waiting list soars to more than 60,000
