Lib Dem councillors call for greater oversight of cinema development
“Failure of competence by the Conservatives in the management of the project”
As has previously been reported, the conversion, and hence the opening of the new businesses: the Everyman cinema, The Botanist bar, and the other units, has been delayed. Changes to the specification have caused delays and cost overruns, meaning that the Council will have to find at least another £5,560,000 to complete the scheme and transfer the project to 100% Council ownership.
Cllr Paul Ray, leader of the Liberal Democrat group, explains, “We do not wish to hinder the future development of this project, but at the same time, we find it impossible to place on record our support for the way it has been managed so far.
“I want to emphasise,” adds Cllr Ray, “that there has been a huge failure of competence by the Conservatives in the management of the project to date. Residents, who have been promised a cinema for so long, now rightly feel let down and betrayed by this complex tangle of missteps and missing information. The project needs a more robust governance structure in the future, and a thorough investigation is needed to clarify and explain what has gone wrong. To that end, we will be seeking closer scrutiny and better governance as the project moves forward, with the aim of meeting deadlines and containing costs.”
Cllr Hugh Ashton, Lib Dem councillor for Stowe ward, which includes the cinema project, comments, “It will no doubt be pointed out by some that cost overruns and delays are almost inevitable in a project of this scale, but not to the size we are looking at here. And for reasons which are still unclear, many of these changes and cost increases were not made clear to the group supposed to be overseeing the project, much less to councillors and the public. I agree with Cllr Ray that we need to identify such lapses in governance and take steps to avoid any such future failures in scrutiny. We cannot afford to let things go on chaotically as they have in the past.
Even so, despite a series of failures by those who should have been responsible to contain costs and timings, we believe that the completed cinema complex will be good for Lichfield as a whole, and we support the continuation of the development. The ‘halo effect’ should bring more visitors into the city, and maintain Lichfield city centre as a busy thriving business community.”
Cllr Miles Trent (Chadsmead and Lib Dem deputy leader) says, “In the past we have raised objections to details of the scheme and against spiralling costs – for example, we opposed the gift of £1,700,000 by the council to The Botanist’s owners – the only party in council to do so.
“Halting or deferring a decision on the project could involve the council in extra costs, legal and otherwise, which could end up costing more than the money we were asked to pay. We have enough half-completed projects in the city centre as it is. Lichfield Lib Dems therefore support the completion of the cinema project.”
