Lib Dem councillors and the cinema vote

“we strongly condemn the way in which the project has been mismanaged so far”

In the Lichfield District Council meeting on 14 July to determine the future of the cinema project in the former Debenhams building, the Liberal Democrat councillors abstained from voting on the motion for the District Council to take sole ownership of the project, and to continue funding the development.

Cllr Paul Ray, leader of the Lib Dem group, explains, “We wish to see the project move forward at pace. Stopping work on the project, temporarily or permanently, is not an economic option. The only viable option is to carry on.

“However, we strongly condemn the way in which the project has been mismanaged so far. There has been a lack of transparency at different levels, and a lack of engagement by the council’s representatives to discover what has been going on behind the scenes. Their claim that only in February were they informed of the fact that there were irregularities, and that it has taken until now to discover the full facts beggars belief. Accordingly, abstaining from the vote was our only possible response.

“Even so, we wish to act as a responsible opposition. To that end, we have produced guidelines for stricter control and oversight at all future stages of the project, as well as a fact-finding structure to learn from the past mistakes that have been made by the governing group. I am delighted that these have found their way into the future plans for the cinema.

“Let me repeat – the Lib Dems see the future cinema with its associated food and beverage outlets as a win for the whole district, and for the Lichfield city centre in particular. I’m delighted that our suggestions will form the basis of the how the project is taken forward.”