Councils squabble over improvements to town (From Gazette Series)

Councils squabble over improvements to town

POLITICAL squabbling has erupted over planned improvements to Dursley town centre.

Labour councillors are claiming that plans to improve the town centre are being delayed because Conservative-led Stroud District Council has pushed back funding for the project to the 2007-2008 budget.

Labour blames the delay on the council's inability to sell the supermarket site in Castle Street.

The authority's budget had originally allowed for £40,000 of improvements to the area around Market Place and £100,000 for other capital schemes in the town. However, this funding has been pushed back to next year's budget.

Cllr Hilary Fowles, a district council representative for the town (Lab), said in a written report to the town council: "My main concern currently is that £140,000 that should have been spent in Dursley next year is now slipped into future years.

"This is particularly galling because if they had got their act together on the supermarket site before Tesco pulled out to go to Cam, the council would be getting money from the sale of the land and Dursley would probably still have its improvements. So it's a double blow."

Town councillor Geoff Wheeler (Lab) said: "Putting off investment in Dursley is not going to do anything to help its recovery from the loss of industry and shops.

"The number of people coming to shop in the town has decreased yet again in the past year according to the district council's own figures. It seems beyond belief that the Conservatives at Stroud can impose such a penalty on the town."

Cllr Daryl Matthews (Lab), also on Dursley Town Council, said: "The district council cabinet seems unable to carry through any of its schemes for Dursley. Can we rely on any of their promises? It's extremely disappointing for the town to be let down in this way."

At Tuesday's meeting of Dursley Town Council, Cllr Anne-Marie Rutter said that once again Dursley had drawn the short straw.

"The district council has let Dursley down again," she said.

"These proposals have been on-going for eight or nine years. There have been promises given to us during that time and yet again nothing has happened. I don't want to sound like a moaning minnie but it seems Dursley is an after thought as far as the district council is concerned."

But Stroud District Council's cabinet member for regeneration and tourism, Cllr Nigel Studdert-Kennedy, said the delay was to allow for further consideration of the improvement plans.

He said: "In view of further design requirements and the necessary consultation with Vale Vision it is not possible to spend this money before 2007. We are keen to see further major improvements in Dursley and remain committed to achieving it."