Town raises £3,000 for beloved street cleaner – but bosses won’t let him keep it

A street cleaner has been told by the company he works for that he is not allowed £3,000 raised for him by his neighbours for his hard work.

Paul Spiers, 63, has been cleaning the roads of Beckenham, south east London, since 2017 and his work ethic has not gone unnoticed by people in the community.

They were so impressed with his efforts to clean the streets that a GoFundMe page was set up for him so he could afford a dream holiday to Portugal.

But the company he works for, Veolia, confirmed because of its contract with Bromley Council it is not permitted to accept any monies or incentives outside of agreed pay structures.

Paul’s friend Lisa Knight who set up the GoFundMe page wrote: ‘As an integral part of our Beckenham village, Paul is adored by all. 

‘Giving him this incredible gift would be a heartfelt way to show our appreciation for everything he does.

Let’s come together to make this dream happen for someone who truly deserves it.’

But in an update she posted: ‘Unfortunately, we have received news that Paul is unable to accept the donations due to restrictions set by his employer, Veolia, in accordance with their contract with Bromley Council.

‘These rules prohibit staff from accepting any monetary gifts or incentives beyond their regular salary.

‘We’re deeply disappointed that this decision prevents Paul from enjoying this well-deserved holiday as a recognition for all of his hard work for the Beckenham community.

‘We have expressed our disappointment to both the council and Veolia and intend to continue to push on this, but please be rest assured, if we are unsuccessful in doing so you will all be refunded.

‘Once again, thank you for your incredible support and for being part of this fundraiser.’

Lisa confirmed she has taken up the matter with both the council and Veolia.

The news has left some locals furious, including Jessica Skelton who posted on the local Facebook group: ‘How on earth can his employee stop him from receiving a gift from the community? The donated money isn’t a “bonus” or a “tip” it’s a gift totally separate from him work. What the hell am I reading?

‘This also implies you couldn’t even give him a pat on the back at Christmas and give him a fiver for a pint?

‘God I hate these vile corporations.’

Mel Tunmore wrote: ‘If he’s retiring soon can the gift be given to him after he retires? Then he has no obligations to Veolia.’

Meanwhile Diana Bailey-Raho Davidson added: ‘Now they said will match and give to charity of his choice … how dare they … put it in bank and give it to him when he retires.’

Veolia said in a statement to Metro.co.uk: ‘We are truly grateful for the support and recognition shown by the community to Paul, who alongside a hardworking street cleansing team, does a fantastic job keeping Bromley’s streets clean.

‘We are always happy to hear from members of the public who want to recognise our teams.

‘Unfortunately on this occasion, we were not made aware of the fundraising and were therefore unable to work together to find the most appropriate way to recognise Paul.

‘Our contract with Bromley Council does not permit our staff to accept any monies or incentives outside of agreed pay structures.

‘We have agreed with Paul that we will match the amount raised as of Friday 9th August to be donated to a charity of his choice. 

‘Veolia has a number of recognition schemes across the UK that reward our colleagues for exceptional services to the community and Paul will be the recipient of Bromley’s Employee of the Quarter – an internal financial reward to recognise his hard work and dedication.’

Bromley Council confirmed because Paul is an employee of Veolia it is a matter for them.

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