TEMPERS boiled over as a furious queue of people battled to get into a public meeting about Weymouth and Portland council finances.

People angrily demanded an explanation as to why such a high-profile meeting had been held in a cinema auditorium which could seat just 102 people.

Marion Pullen, of Whitecross Drive, Weymouth, said: "Loads of people have been turned away. It is bad council management and just not acceptable."

Council chief executive Tom Grainger told furious residents: "We wanted a location right in the town centre with easy access and Cineworld kindly offered this site for nothing, but numbers have to be restricted to comply with fire regulations."

The first hundred people on Saturday - admitted on a first come first served basis - packed in to the meeting chaired by Wey Valley School headteacher Marcia Headon. A second meeting was held immediately afterwards.

The meeting heard council finance chief Jason Vaughan admit that a council budget black hole of up to £1.9 million had been largely caused by 'woefully inadequate financial forecasting' although no money had been lost or stolen.

Poor Government grants had also not helped, he said, but measures were in hand to improve matters including a five-year council finance strategy, a robust system for making financial forecasts and monthly reports on every budget.

Mr Grainger warned that doing nothing was not an option because this would force even higher council tax increases. That was why the council needed residents' views so people could highlight where they really valued money being spent, he said.

Jim Long from Wyke Regis demanded to know why £3,500 had been wasted on aborting a visit by controversial comedian Bernard Manning, Mr Grainger replying that the council had had to discharge its duties under the race Relations Act.

Peter Tarrant from Upwey criticised a financially draining "pie in the sky" relief road project for traffic problems on Dorchester Road which were only "a minor irritation" compared to blackspots in London and Leeds.

But John Liles from Preston said an improved road system was needed and Weymouth and Portland should not compare itself with worse off places. He also said that "someone somewhere has made a complete faux pas of handing our money".

John Pollard of Melcombe Regis criticised alleged early retirement payments through extra pension year awards which he claimed were worth up to £40,000 each to some council staff.

But Mr Grainger claimed that £240,000 sum involved was what the council had to pay for all enhanced years payments to everyone who had ever retired early from council and who was still alive. Many in the audience demanded to know why the meeting had been held in a small cinema and Mr Grainger replied that previous experience of such meetings was that "no one turns up". With hindsight the Pavilion would have been a better choice, he said, adding that the Pavilion was planned as the venue for a similar public meeting later in the year.

He said after the meeting: "I think the response was mixed. Some people were fairly aggressive but some were very serious and seemed to be taking information in."

Mark Johnson from Preston, spokesman for the newly-formed pressure group Council Watch, said outside the meeting that they intended to monitor future council plans and expenditure.

He added: "Anyone who was not satisfied by the meeting or who has a question to ask the council can contact me on 07747 628365."