Call for probe into council figures for Weymouth Pavilion

They say there are inconsistencies in the published costs of the council-owned theatre that make it seem more expensive than it is.

One council report bizarrely added the council’s weather station – which is located at the council offices in North Quay – to the Pavilion budget.

Pavilion supporter Mick Burt spoke out after Councillor Peter Farrell called for Weymouth and Portland Borough Council to knock the theatre down or make it work.

Coun Farrell said figures showed that the theatre has cost taxpayers £1.6million over two years.

But builder Mr Burt said council chiefs were ‘confusing’ residents and additional services were added on to the Pavilion budget in August and taken off again in September.

A budget report to the council management committee added the cost of a tourist development service at £153,002, a meteorological service for £8,760 and a holiday guide for £22,250 to the Pavilion budget of £715,000.

These extra costs were then removed from the budget for the next report.

But the next month the budget was revised from £990,000 to £890,811 with costs added to the budget such as the Tourist Information Centre costing £136,321 and a carry forward underspend for work on the theatre toilets of £39,421.

Mr Burt, of Greenhill, Weymouth, said: “I want clarity and transparency. Things are being made deliberately confusing.

“If the council have done this to get the theatre closed they are going the right way about it.

“I think it’s because the peninsula site is no longer viable with the theatre there.

“I think there should be an inquiry by an outside body into it.”

Mr Burt added that other sums should be deducted from the £715,000 Pavilion budget such as the £60,000 of car parking that he says is generated through Pavilion events, £221,076 of depreciation and internal recharges – provision of payroll, property and other council services – of £174,217.

He said: “I think everyone who pays rates is being let down. They are being told things by a councillor who should know what the expenditure is made up of.

“If the council decide they want to get rid of it they are saying ‘let’s put expenditure onto the theatre.’ “Local people would say ‘let’s close it’.

More detailed information on the finances of the theatre will be provided for the management committee from a steering group on December 6.

Borough Councillor Bill White said a more business-like approach is needed for the Pavilion.

He added: “I think we’ve got to value what is a valuable asset for the borough.

“Officers are doing their best to put the position of the Pavilion across.

“I think we’ve got some work to do in making the figures more transparent.”

Weymouth resident John Stockley, former deputy stage manager of the theatre, said he would welcome a more detailed report on the finances of the Pavilion.

He added: “There’s always been rumours that we don’t know what’s being added on to the Pavilion.

“I cannot see anything wrong with being open and transparent.”

Three serrvices added to bill

FINANCE and assets spokesman Councillor Peter Chapman said the council was not ‘miss-stating’ the costs of the Pavilion.

He added: “However, the budget monitoring report to the August management committee contained an error that meant three services were included with the Pavilion Complex costs.

“This was corrected at the committee meeting and going forward.

“The services have not been included with the Pavilion complex in the reports to management committee in September, October or November.”