A row has broken out among Leighton town councillors as interest groups pleaded for cash to aid projects aimed at helping improve amenities in the town.
Steve Cotter went cap in hand to the council’s policy and finance committee to ask them to help fund four schemes that were part of the town’s £100,000 Portas Pilot bid. Leighton, which was intending to match the cash with its own money, was snubbed in the latest round of grants but has been told that there is some money available for individual projects.
When the bid leader asked if the town council would still commit to the initiatives he was told to break down the costings for each innovative plan, prioritise them and take it to the council’s partnership committee for consideration.
Moments later the policy and finance chairman and vice chairman, Councillors David Bowater and Amanda Dodwell, asked for £200,000 to add to a £1m budget for new changing rooms at Astral Park, in south Leighton. Cllr Dodwell told members that the existing scheme provided for a tiny community room “no bigger than someone’s living room” which would make it unsuitable for meetings.
As the proposal was being debated Mr Cotter spoke out: “The Portas bid proposals were a number of schemes aimed at making this town economically better for not much more than the £200,000 you’re asking for this. Why is it so easy to approve this cash?”
Some committee members were opposed to providing more money for the scheme while others were reluctant to commit without seeing any written reports.
Mr Bowater told the meeting: “We’ve got the cash from Central Beds Council to build the pavilion but there is a dire lack of community facilities in the town and we are looking for funding from the town council to add to the community facilities planned to providing a large community meeting room.
“We have the £100,000 that we originally planned to commit to the Mary Portas bid and there is more than enough money in reserves.”
Mayor Councillor Alan Brandham said there were other improvements needed in the town - to Mentmore Park and Pages Park - and restricted finances. Councillor Kevin Pughe agreed. He added: “You could keep making this pavilion bigger and bigger. You’ve got £1m for it. Surely the aim is to get something there and get it used before finding out how much bigger to make it?”
The committee eventually agreed to make up to £200,000 available to the council’s leisure and community committee for a larger facility at Astral Park. The proposal was carried with five councillors in favour, one against and three abstentions.