Town Hall Make Over Is No Christmas Cracker

Lib Dems have slammed plans to spend over £80,000 on non essential improvements to the old town hall as a shocking waste of public money.

The plans which were discussed by the Mayor's Cabinet at Wednesdays Executive meeting, recommended spending £84,300 to improve the council's suite of committee rooms. Improvements include painting and decorating, new carpets and new seating throughout. However the improvements equate to almost a 1.5% increase in council tax bills from the borough which Lib Dems believe would be totally unnecessary. The works follow the development of new offices for Mayor Branston and senior officers, completed in 2003, which cost a similar amount.

Speaking on the issue, Lib Dem deputy leader, Christine McHugh said:

"These improvements are totally unnecessary. Cuts in essential services are being threatened and council tax bills look set to rise again but the Mayor's Cabinet can still find room to fund these extravagances when half of them want to knock down the Town Hall. This is another shocking waste of tax payers money. It was only last year that the Mayor spent £70,000 improving offices for himself and senior officers all at the tax payers expense.

I think we need to be clear about our priorities here. I am sure that most members would agree that we should be putting the provision of services and lowering council tax ahead of making meeting rooms more luxurious. To see £33,000 spent on replacement chairs alone, whilst a similar amount is removed from the budget for playschemes makes for a difficult read."

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