SOUND and lighting kit worth £39,000 is not reaching the public despite being funded by tax payers' money, it has been warned.

Some members of Dorchester Town Council are concerned that the money has been wasted after investment in sound and lighting gear by a local arts forum - as the equipment has proved 'too big' for most people to use.

Councillor Tony Lyall said: "Dorchester Arts Forum was given a grant of £39,000 in September 2005 - £33,000 from West Dorset District Council, and £6,000 from the town council.

"It was to set up a pod of equipment that could be used by Dorchester and the surrounding areas, for example for photography clubs, drama groups.

"All sound and lighting and exhibition-type stuff. It's a long story but the arts centre hijacked it and bought too big equipment for normal small things.

"People come to hire the lighting and they can't get it in their estate cars. Not everybody's got a truck."

A report by Coun Lyall pointed out the failings at the last town council management committee meeting, and councillors requested a full update on the forum's activities particularly in relation to the marketing of the facilities available for hire.

Coun Lyall said it was a good idea in principal but the complexities were not thought through.

His report found that the kit had only been used 14 times in the last financial year and highlighted concern that people did not know about it.

Another factor was that most of the equipment is stored at Dorchester Arts Centre which is not open at weekends.

Coun Lyall said: "There is a pamphlet around that tells people about the kit. They make a charge for it but one of the points I made in my report is £40,000-worth of equipment will need servicing. New bulbs etc, and we are struggling because it's not being used.

"There's also a huge stage at St Mary's Church which is used there but nowhere else. You would need a lorry to move it. They should've had a small portable stage for dramatics at Broadmayne village hall for example.

"£39,000 is a lot of money and it doesn't seem to be fulfilling the criteria."

Coun Trevor Jones said the idea of having a stock of equipment to be used by different arts groups was born a few years ago when the prospect of a new purpose-built arts centre seemed far away.

He said: "If it now appears that it's not been all that well managed then clearly we will have to look into matters.

"Although the Maltings project for a new arts centre on the Brewery site is progressing it's still going to be quite a while before it opens its doors so the stock of equipment will still be invaluable for a while yet.

"We need to make sure that good use is made of it."

Dorchester Arts Forum chairman Judy Lindsay said: "The equipment is there to help arts organisations in Dorchester and the surrounding areas although we will lend it out further if it's good for the arts in Dorset.

"We feel the equipment has had good usage. We've done a survey of people who had used it and had very little negative feedback.

"Some people said it had greatly enhanced their performance, and we would be really keen for more people to use it. People can turn up in their car and borrow a microphone and sound system, or if it's a lighting rig the hire charge includes the cost of an hour's time of a technician to train people."

She added: "All the equipment is administered by the arts centre but owned by the forum, and the number to ring is 01305 266926.

"We've got everything you would need to stage a performance including staging for both indoors and outdoors.

"If people want to put on a pantomime, dance show or photography exhibition, we are kitted out to deal with that. And our are hire fees are more competitive than commercial prices."