Tories hit out as Wolverhampton Council's spending on Bilston market redevelopment increases by £2.5 million to £8.9 million
A council's handling of a market regeneration scheme has been questioned after it was revealed the cost of the scheme had increased by 39 per cent.
Councillor Wendy Dalton, deputy leader of the opposition Conservative group on Wolverhampton Council, voiced concerns about the authority's decision to provide an extra £2.5 million for the delayed Bilston Market regeneration scheme.
Councillor Dalton, who earlier this year accused the council of squandering £1.3 million on administration before a spade had been turned, said the cost of the project had now ballooned from £6.4 million to £8.9 million.
Sign up to our free daily Wolverhampton newsletter for the latest news, views and features
Originally funded by a £5 million government 'levelling up' grant and a further £1.4 million from the council's capital regeneration programme, the scheme was intended to cover demolition and reconstruction of public toilets, new canopy and stalls, improved public areas and signs, as well as a new enterprise and events space with improved accessibility and branding.
However, a pre‑construction report by Speller Metcalfe revealed that inflation, supply‑chain volatility, unexpected ground‑condition remediation and programme delays had driven costs well beyond initial estimates.
Councillor Dalton said that the decision to draw a further £2.5 million from contingency reserves exposed a deeper failure in the council’s financial controls.
