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News and Comment February 2013

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4 February (Part 2) - Salty Bacon

When I moved to this part of London I found the water quality was awful, bath water and soap would turn into a diluted form of tapioca and I lost little time in installing a water softener. I think the water may have improved a bit since but when the softener failed a couple of years ago I replaced it anyway. The new model uses very little salt and I get it from a local company in blocks costing £4.50 (including VAT) a pair. Nearer £4 if I pick up a car boot full in one go. What I wouldn’t do is buy it from Bexley council’s salt supplier where the same stuff costs £16 plus VAT a pack.

Council announcement
Bexley council has been selling brown rock salt to residents supposedly at cost price to help clear snow since September.

Maybe it didn’t sell very well because they were still advertising it on Twitter last month.

Maybe Bexley council should find a cheaper supplier.

Salt contract
Brown rock salt is sold in quantity by Bexley’s contracted supplier at £3.85 (plus VAT) a 25kg bag which is nearer to £4.50 than Bexley’s so called bargain fiver. But anyone can Google ’Brown rock salt’ and find prices as low as £1.50 plus VAT for 25kg. Prices around the three pound mark are not uncommon but you have to look long and hard to find anyone selling the stuff at £3.85; but Bexley council managed it.

Maybe it’s the same slackness over contracts that gave Redrow such a bargain. Gareth Bacon’s generous offer is not quite what it seems. Nothing is in Bexley.

Note: B&Q’s price for 25kg of rock salt was £3.49 including VAT last year but they seem to have stopped selling it.

 

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