Problems with going Public : Express & Star:

Blogging opportunities have been severely restricted this week as Rich has returned to north Yorkshire (or Humberside as everyone in the civilised world calls it) for a well-deserved week’s holiday.

So while young McCarthy has been enjoying long walks in hob-nailed boots with his whippet before returning to scrub himself clean of the smog-dust in a tin bath in front of the fire, I have been a one-man-band on the video desk.

A seemingly never-ending series of computer glitches, which began last Friday when my trusty Apple Mac gave up the ghost, have added to the stresses of going solo.

Still, against all the odds, I have just about managed to keep the video content up to a steady trickle. Earlier this week I went out to West Bromwich to cover the latest in a long line of setbacks at arts complex, The Public.

Two years after its planned opening date the building still remains fenced off, unused and, somewhat understandably, unloved. So far more than £50 million of public funds have been lavished on it. The cost went up a few more notches after a broken window was reported to have cost £40,000 to replace.

As I was conducting an interview with a councillor outside The Public a passing member of staff from the centre disputed that figure.

But whatever the reality there can be little doubt the saga surrounding the building has become a major embarrassment to Sandwell Council.

Tens of millions of pounds have been ploughed into the complex, yet still no-one seems to know how it will be used or when it will open.

The embarrassment is rapidly becoming a disgrace. I’ve got no problem with public money being used to fund the arts. But in this case, couldn’t it have been used more wisely?

Why couldn’t it have been invested in smaller, easier to manage projects - rehearsal and recording facilities for musicians, a drama studio for budding actors? The answer is simple.

Small may have been effective, but it would not have made a bold enough statement.

With its stark, black box design and pink-framed, coffee-bean shaped windows, The Public is intended as a grand gesture.

In that respect, at least, it has been a big success, because its looming presence sticks two fingers up at the idea of using public money sensibly.

Andy Toft is the Express & Star’s video journalist. Read other entries in his blog by clicking here