THE increased cost to the taxpayer of Lichfield's new cinema has been branded a "catastrophic failure" by an MP.
Members of Lichfield District Council approved an additional £5.5million for the project to revamp the former Debenhams store in the city.
Once complete, the building will host an Everyman Cinema as well as new food and drink outlets, including The Botanist.
But the rising costs of the project have drawn criticism from Lichfield MP Dave Robertson.
He said:
"The Conservatives at Lichfield District Council confirmed that the new cinema complex will be worth less than they are paying to build and renovate it.
"People across Lichfield, Burntwood and the villages absolutely want to see that part of the city redeveloped, but they also deserve to know why its now going to cost more than 70% more than originally advertised.
"That's not a small budget overrun, its a catastrophic failure of oversight and governance.
"The leader and deputy leader both being forced to apologise after being asked, doesn't answer those questions – nor does it shed any light on how the council will stop this from happening again nor how they will properly safeguard our district's resources in the future."
Cllr Doug Pullen, leader of Lichfield District Council, said the agreement on funding had created "a clear path forward" for the project:
"Councillors have made their decision on the future of this redevelopment.
"Throughout this project we’ve committed to being open about both the progress we’ve made and the challenges we’ve faced.
"Our focus now is clear. We will complete construction, work with Everyman Cinema and our other occupiers as they prepare to open, and deliver a development that strengthens Lichfield city centre for years to come.
"This building has stood vacant for too long. We now have a clear path forward, and my commitment is that we will see this project through, keep residents updated as construction progresses and ensure this becomes a destination the district can be proud of."
