The relationship between the Lichfield Garrick and Conservative councillors has been branded “too cosy” by the leader of the opposition group at Lichfield District Council.
The comments come after it emerged that councillors who will decide the future of taxpayer funding for the Lichfield Garrick will not need to formally declare an interest – even if they sit on the board of the theatre.
The confirmation came after it emerged that a number of councillors had not declared the post on their register of interests.
But Bal Nahal, monitoring officer at Lichfield District Council, insisted there was no need for councillors to declare their interest when decisions are made over whether to continue with the £250,000 a year payment to the venue.
“Councillors who are directors of the Lichfield Garrick Theatre Ltd are nominated annually by full council,” she said.
“This is recorded in the minutes of the meeting and is a point of public record so does not need to be declared as an interest.”
“Eye-watering levels of funding”
But Cllr Sue Woodward, leader of the Labour opposition group at Lichfield District Council warned the relationship between both parties was becoming “too cosy”.
“Labour has repeatedly and consistently opposed the eye-watering levels of funding for the Garrick ever since it opened,” she said.
“It was a vanity project from a previous Conservative administration that has never fulfilled the initial promises.
“The Garrick is now an independent Trust and grant levels have reduced to some extent but they are still ridiculously high, especially when other council services are being cut to the bone.
“I love the Garrick personally and go there often but I don’t see why my entertainment should be subsidised by every household in the district – and that’s backed up by the responses of local residents in consultations.
“There’s far too cosy a relationship between Tory district councillors and the Garrick.
“The failure of council representatives to declare their interests in the theatre properly and openly would seem to confirm this. Sadly, the theatre has become an extension of the Lichfield District Council bubble.
“On numerous occasions, I and my Labour colleagues have called for the Lichfield District Council leadership to ask the city council to pick up some of the tab as it’s the city which benefits most. Nothing has happened.”
Self-sufficient?
The confirmation comes after Lib Dem councillor Paul Ray called for a reduction in the amount of taxpayer funding spent on the venue.
He has called on the theatre to take steps to become more self-sufficient – including selling more food and drink – and insisted the controlling Conservative group must also keep up the pressure on Garrick bosses to “reduce their reliance” on the money.
But Cllr Woodward said the Lib Dems plans to make the theatre self-sufficient were out of touch.
“While I welcome the Lib Dems’ belated realisation of the unfairness of council tax payers’ money having been shovelled into the Garrick, they’ve been pretty quiet about it over the years.
“As for the three-point plan, the Garrick already has a commercial/sponsorship officer. I’m sure that hosting conferences will already be one of their options.
“As far as his proposal that the Garrick should improve food and drink sales, they would have to sell a huge amount to make a profit – £250,000 to cover the Lichfield District Council grant.
“The Lib Dem action plan isn’t just half-baked, it’s completely baked.”
