Road sweeper denied crowdfunded holiday will go on trip after all

A popular street cleaner who was unable to go on a crowdfunded holiday due to his waste firm employer’s rules on accepting gifts will get to go on the trip after all thanks to a loophole.

When more than 200 residents of Beckenham, south-east London, raised almost £3,000 to send road sweeper Paul Spiers on a summer break to Portugal, it seemed like an example of neighbourly generosity.

But Veolia, the waste management company employing Spiers, 63, said he could not take the money because staff were prohibited from accepting “gifts or incentives” due to its contract with Bromley council.

The street cleaner has now been given the green light for a trip abroad after the travel company On the Beach ran a “competition” for a holiday for which the entry requirements were: you must love Elvis, be between the ages of 62 and 64, have a surname of Spiers, be a street cleaner in Beckenham and be loved by your local community. Unsurprisingly, Spiers won.

Veolia has allowed him to accept the “prize” of a £3,000 holiday voucher, the Times reported.

A representative for Veolia said: “We understand that Paul has won a competition and we can confirm that we have no objection to him accepting his win.

“We are very 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.”

Veolia has said it will match the amount of money raised by the public and donate it to a charity nominated by Spiers.

The company added: “Our position regarding the funds raised by the community has not changed and the decision about what happens to that money is a matter for the fundraiser.

“Veolia has matched the amount raised as of Friday, 9 August, and this will be donated to Cancer Research, a charity close to Paul’s heart.”

Earlier on Tuesday, Liam Conlon, the new Labour MP for Beckenham and Penge, published a letter to the Conservative leader of Bromley council, calling on him to “take a commonsense approach” to allow Spiers to visit family in Portugal.

“I have today written to councillor Colin Smith to ask what action can be taken,” said Conlon. “I hope they will be able to take a commonsense approach, which upholds the council’s high ethical standards, while allowing Paul to enjoy the holiday we all want him to have.”

When contacted by the Guardian, Smith shared the personal response he had sent to Conlon on Monday night.

It read: “I very much hope that since sending ‘your’ message that your team have bothered to take the time and effort to read Veolia’s position statement on related matters to better inform themselves as to their conundrum and their proposed way forward in response.”

Smith told the Guardian: “Whilst I understand that Mr Conlon has been an MP for a full 40 days now, I would advise it is better to wait for a response to a letter before publicising it.

“For any avoidance of doubt for anybody being misled on social media by others playing politics, this is a matter between Veolia and one of their employees and the council is not in a position to instruct them contractually,” he added.

“On a personal note, since this story broke, I am very pleased to see that Veolia have recognised Mr Spiers’ add-on value to both their own organisation and the community he serves so excellently in Beckenham as well. Long may both continue.”

The mayor of Bromley, David Jefferys, earlier said that he is supportive of local residents’ suggestions that he ensure Spiers gets the money by setting up a special mayor’s prize for him – but that he too was dependent on the council.

“I could look at something like [a special award for Paul]. It’s a possibility,” he said.

“I know Paul very well and the fantastic work he does for the community is exactly the sort of work that should be recognised but this is an issue for the council to decide.”

On Monday residents described how Spiers, who has worked as a road sweeper in Bromley for seven years, had lifted spirits with his “positive presence” and Elvis Presley playing on a portable speaker, and kept the streets immaculate.