The leader of Douglas Council has called on Infrastructure Minister Ray Harmer to ’get a grip’ of his department.

David Christian made the comments as several council committees outlined issues they are having with the Department of Infrastructure,

Councillor Claire Wells criticised the ’backwards and forwards’ nature of dealing with the DoI, which had led to delays in several plans (page 3).

Councillor Andrew Bentley and Mr Christian also criticised the need for a report on how to demolish a former church and empty flats in Willaston.

Mr Christian said the move ’beggars belief’, adding: ’It’s a joke trying to work with the DoI. The minister needs to get a grip.’

Further attacks were made at the DoI when councillors came to discuss installing road signs on council-owned lampposts.

The environmental services committee, which is responsible for lampposts, said the installation of DoI signs without prior permission has ’been an on-going issue for a number of years’.

This has increased since the promenades regeneration work began, with the committee reminding the DoI of highway regulations regarding the installation of signs.

Mr Christian then called for the council to only allow the DoI to place more signs after the department carried out an audit of every single road sign it has attached to a lamppost in Douglas.

He gave the example of current laws requiring disc zones to be indicated at frequent intervals, rather than just at the start and end of zones as evidence for the need for changes in legislation.

The chairman of the environmental services committee, Ritchie McNicholl added that it costs the council extra to paint their lampposts because signs have to be removed and reattached to posts at an additional cost to ratepayers.