Council counts cost of calendar blunder (From Stroud News and Journal)

Council counts cost of calendar blunder

RED -FACED council officials were counting the cost of a blunder this week which shortened the year 2002 by one whole day.

More than 5,000 council tenants have received calendars from Stroud District Council but a typing error resulted in March only having 30 days.

Eagle-eyed tenants who spotted the mistake contacted the News & Journal to find out whether the council was trying to set its own agenda.

But SDC spokesman David Marshall admitted on Monday that it was a genuine blunder.

"We take this one on the nose," he said. "It has the effect of making April 1 appear on the wrong day so we appear to be the fools in this case.

He said the council had already been alerted to the mistake by a tenant.

"Lots of people proof read the calendar but this seems to have got through," he said.

Nicola Woodward, a council tenant from Minchinhampton, said it was lucky the mistake had been spotted.

"I would have used the calendar," she said. "It would have saved buying another."