Christmas lights cash cut leads to spending comparison
Monday, 10th September 2012.
Councillors are to calculate how much Haverhill has lost in cuts by St Edmundsbury Borough Council over the past three years, after they were told the latest grant to go will be the £10,000 towards the town's Christmas lights.
Officers of St Edmundsbury had informed Haverhill town clerk Will Austin the grant would cease after this year's £10,000, which could be given either as one sum for this year or as £5,000 each for this year and next year.
Mr Austin advised members Haverhill Town Council to claim the full sum this year because, he said, they could not be sure the second instalment would not be cut before next year.
Cllr Maureen Byrne asked Mr Austin to work out how much St Edmundsbury money had been cut from Haverhill in the last few years.
"They've stopped paying us in dribs and drabs," she said, "so we've lost sight of how much has gone. If someone were to ask me I wouldn't be able to tell them."
Mr Austin said he would like to see how the amount spent in Haverhill now compared with that in Bury St Edmunds.
"They give a reason for this cut, which is that they are not paying towards the lights in Bury," he said.
They said it was not fair to keep paying towards Christmas lights in Clare and Haverhill only.
"I feel that would be okay if we in Haverhill could also have the £750,000 a year they are spending on the Apex in Bury," said Mr Austin.
Cllr Les Ager, who is also a borough councillor said he had tackled the borough council leader Cllr John Griffiths on that very point.
"I'm sorry to say it fell on stony ground," Cllr Ager said.
Officers of St Edmundsbury had informed Haverhill town clerk Will Austin the grant would cease after this year's £10,000, which could be given either as one sum for this year or as £5,000 each for this year and next year.
Mr Austin advised members Haverhill Town Council to claim the full sum this year because, he said, they could not be sure the second instalment would not be cut before next year.
Cllr Maureen Byrne asked Mr Austin to work out how much St Edmundsbury money had been cut from Haverhill in the last few years.
"They've stopped paying us in dribs and drabs," she said, "so we've lost sight of how much has gone. If someone were to ask me I wouldn't be able to tell them."
Mr Austin said he would like to see how the amount spent in Haverhill now compared with that in Bury St Edmunds.
"They give a reason for this cut, which is that they are not paying towards the lights in Bury," he said.
They said it was not fair to keep paying towards Christmas lights in Clare and Haverhill only.
"I feel that would be okay if we in Haverhill could also have the £750,000 a year they are spending on the Apex in Bury," said Mr Austin.
Cllr Les Ager, who is also a borough councillor said he had tackled the borough council leader Cllr John Griffiths on that very point.
"I'm sorry to say it fell on stony ground," Cllr Ager said.
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