Bradford Council has insisted “nothing is completely indestructible” after revealing the true cost of repairing glass information boards in the city centre.

The info boards – found in places like Broadway, City Hall, Kirkgate, and Forster Square – are popular targets in vandalism sprees.

The boards were installed by the Council at key points throughout the city as part of a £200,000 scheme in 2016.

Jointly funded by the Council and the Government’s Regional Growth Fund, the boards contain maps and other helpful pieces of information in a bid to improve the public areas in the city centre.

Now a Freedom of Information (FOI) request to the Council has shown it costs £803.67p to repair one glass information board.

It comes after at least six information boards across the city were smashed up by vandals in April.

It was claimed on social media that all 20 of the boards were damaged in the same weekend.

Meanwhile the most recent attack in June saw a board outside City Park shattered into pieces.

Bradford Telegraph and Argus: Smashed glass information board outside City Park. Picture: Mike Simmonds, T&A.Smashed glass information board outside City Park. Picture: Mike Simmonds, T&A.

In response, a spokesperson for the Council said: “Unfortunately, like other cities, Bradford suffers from vandalism and nothing is completely indestructible. 

“We are currently auditing the boards to identify those that need to be repaired and upgraded and are working with a contractor to find ways to make them more robust.

“The price of repair has included an upgrade and this is likely to reduce for additional units and future repairs.

“We are conducting a review including considering additional digital methods of way-finding, however, visual signposting is an accepted and accessible tourism practice and is likely to stay in place for the foreseeable future.”

For Haris Ahmed, the curious resident who submitted the FOI, it represents the chance to find a more economically viable solution which draws ideas from Bradford’s creative scene.

The poet, who lives in the city centre, said it was the “perfect time to innovate” following the City of Culture win.

“I’ve never seen someone actually use them,” the city centre resident said.

“I just wonder whether it’s justified.

“I know we’ve got City of Culture but I know a lot of people think, look at how easy the city centre is vandalised. Every sign I’ve seen in Bradford town has been smashed up at some point.

“Realistically for a city that gets lots of flack for council tax it’s such an easy fix for me.

“I think it’s just a loss of collaborative work.”