The development of a £20 million arts centre in Stafford town centre would cost every household an extra £70 a year in tax, claim opponents fighting to have the project shelved.The Conservative opposition accused the Labour cabinet of ignoring recommendations to scrap the project from two cross-party committees, when they agreed to spend £330,000 on the next stage of planning.
Conservative councillor Matthew Ellis also accused the group of curtailing discussions on the subject, claiming debate on the subject in the county chamber was brought to an abrupt end after the Labour group moved to close any discussion as soon as it begun.
Councillor Ellis said: “I had literally just started my speech when the Labour group proposed and won a vote that closed the debate down immediately.
“They seemed absolutely terrified at the prospect of more information on the Arts Space and the county’s financial position becoming public.”
Labour councillor Maureen Compton, portfolio holder for culture and heritage, who is leading on the Arts Space project said: “Any suggestion at all that members of the public will see an increase to council tax to fund the Arts Space project is wholly incorrect.
“The money for the project would be delivered via a sound financial model including grants, capital receipts and from the county’s capital programme.”
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