02 November 2023
CONSERVATIVES CALL FOR LABOUR'S SECRET £3.9M FUND TO BE INVESTED INTO POTTERIES MUSEUM & ART GALLERY
Conservative Councillors on Stoke-on-Trent City Council have called for Labour’s secret project fund of £3.9 million to be invested into the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery.
In the latest Capital Programme update, which is expected to be approved by the Labour Cabinet on 7th November, a new fund of £3.9m will be created. The new fund is earmarked exclusively for the city centre.
However, when Conservative Councillors asked for details about what the money would be spent on, no details were forthcoming.
“First, Labour have refused to reveal details of their secret 15-point savings plan. Now we discover that they are creating a £3.9 million pot of taxpayers' money to be used in Hanley, but with no public details on how it will be spent.”
“They have cancelled the arena and other works around Etruscan Square. This would have acted as a major draw to the city centre. We need a vibrant city centre and to create something which will attract people to Hanley. This is vital to help grow the local economy and attract higher skilled jobs,” said Conservative Councillor Faisal Hussain, Shadow Cabinet Member for Development & Growth.
“We believe the ideal place to spend this secret pot of money would be the Potteries Museum & Art Gallery, building on the successful Spitfire Gallery and extension we constructed when we ran the council.”
“Labour needs to come clean on how this money will be spent. Labour is getting the council to borrow a further £3.9m. At the same time, they are saying the council may go bankrupt. Now we discover they have no plan on how to spend this £3.9m. It simply isn’t good enough.”
“If Labour are going to borrow the money, then the council must put it to good use. If it has to be spent in Hanley, then we are calling on it to be invested in the city’s heritage and our wonderful museum.”
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Note to editors: Item 8 on the Cabinet Agenda, details the creation of the new ‘City Centre Investment’ programme at 3.8 in the report. Cabinet is expected to make the decision on Tuesday 7th November. More details can be found at: https://moderngov.stoke.gov.uk/ieListDocuments.aspx?CId=564&MId=12822&Ver=4