Council spends £6,000 on satnavs for lawnmowers

From the Daily Mail:

They’re never going to have to deal with a difficult route across country, or conquer the maze of an inner city.

In fact, the trickiest test of navigation they are likely to face is getting from one side of a field to the other.

But that hasn’t stopped council chiefs buying a set of sophisticated satnavs – for their fleet of lawnmowers.

They spent £6,000 hooking up the devices to 14 mowers because gardeners claimed they kept getting lost in long grass…

Launching the system this week, David Parsons, leader of the Tory-led council, said wet weather and sunny spells last year had led to problems keeping the grass cut.

‘Keeping Leicestershire’s grass verges neat and tidy is important and I’m pleased we are embracing innovative technology,’ he added.

But Lib-Dem councillor Adrian Smith, who represents Burbage South in Leicestershire, described the idea as ‘mad’.

‘A lot of people in our borough and other areas had to complain about the state of the grass last summer,’ he said.

‘But the satellite system idea seems mad to me. You would think there would be better ways of doing things.

‘I’d question whether the council should be lavishing taxpayers’ money on things like this during a recession.’