Action has been promised to mend a Perth landmark clock “frozen in time”.
Focus on the commemorative timepiece which stands across from Perth Concert Hall has been sharpened due to the ongoing improvements in the area.
The entire length of Mill Street is being transformed, including repaving, in a bid to create a “cultural quarter” stretching from the refurbished Perth Theatre to the concert hall.
Complaints have been made by members of the public who claimed that the non-working clock was marring the transformation of the area.
Gifted to the city of Perth to mark the centenary of Rotary International by the three rotary clubs in Perth in February 2005, the hands are frozen at 5.45pm.
“How long the clock has been broken is lost in the mists of time but it is certainly many, many months,” said Sylvia Cumming, 52, of Perth.
“Every time I pass it the fact that isn’t working annoys me — a broken clock is a useless clock.”
Peter Barrett, councillor for Perth city centre, raised concerns about the stopped clock at the council’s strategic policy and resources committee meeting last month after discovering that a report on procurement identified £14,000 for the repair of clocks in Perth from September 2016 to August 2020.
“I asked that some of this money be used to sort the Rotary clock on Horsecross outside Pacos,” he said.
“An increasing number of my constituents have complained that the clock had been stopped for so long.
“The response I received at the time was that the clock might not belong to the council.”
Following further complaints from more residents Mr Barrett followed the matter up with further inquiries as to who was responsible for maintaining the clock.
“It turns out the clock is the council’s responsibility,” he said.
“The problem has been with the clock’s control gear and it is due to be repaired in the near future.
“It is high time the clock was fixed and I will be keeping a close watch to ensure that happens.”
A council spokesperson added: “The council is currently awaiting receipt of parts to carry out repairs, so the clock can operate as normal again in the near future.”
