New Civic - Conservatives slammed over finances

12.00.00pm GMT Mon 19th Mar 2007

Cllr Vivienne Johnson & Cllr Sarah Di Caprio outside the Guildford Civic

Liberal Democrat councillors have slammed the Conservative record over the financial arrangements for the new Civic, pointing out that the known cost to council-tax payers has risen from £2 million in 2002/3 to at least £20 million now. Liberal Democrat Finance Spokesperson Cllr Vivienne Johnson dismissed as nonsense Conservative complaints about a Lib Dem leaflet which quotes these figures.

Cllr Johnson said "The funding for the new Civic project as set up by the Lib Dem-run council in 2002 was totally transparent. The package included the land at Bedford Road and at the London Road Civic site, resulting in a net cost to council tax payers of £2 million. Under the Conservatives, the sources of funding are far from clear. They are even talking of raiding the council's housing reserves or borrowing money. All we know is it will cost at least £20 million. The Conservatives have refused to give personal guarantees it won't rise even further."

There are increasing worries the cost could rise beyond the £20 million figure. Civil engineering project costs are rising across the South East as a result of the Olympics and scarce resources. Local businessmen speaking at a Live Music Forum last year predicted the cost of the new Civic could rise as high as £30 million.

Cllr Johnson also pointed out concerns about the continuing subsidy likely to be needed when the new Civic comes in to operation. The Conservatives closed the old Civic in 2004, saying the subsidy was too high. Yet the most recent estimates for the subsidy needed for the new Civic, in an officer's report also dating from 2004, suggest the subsidy could be twice as much, at over £2000 per day.

Cllr Johnson added "It is quite disgraceful that the Tories have failed to produce any sort of business plan for the new Civic. They closed the old Civic prematurely, ignoring massive public protest, on the excuse that the subsidy was too high. Yet they are blithely proceeding with the new project without doing the sums first. The people of Guildford do want their Civic back, but they have a right to expect proper financial management of the project. They aren't getting that from the Conservatives."