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Did Tories cloud true cost of BTP 'spin' bill?
March 13, 2009 11:43 AM
Did the Cabinet member responsible for the Bath Transport Package seek to cloud the true cost of 'communications' relating to the project? That is the question being asked by Liberal Democrats.
Don Foster MP and Cllr Caroline Roberts on the BRT route
In January, Councillor Caroline Roberts (Liberal Democrat, Newbridge) quizzed the Conservative Cabinet member on how much had been spent on publicity for the Bath Transport Package (BTP). The answer she received was £115,000.
It has now emerged that the Cabinet member may have been seeking to downplay the true extent of spending on 'spin' for the BTP by quoting a figure relating to spending only over 9 months of 2008.
Follow-up questions by Don Foster MP have revealed that the true amount is twice as much! The Council has budgeted £232,000 for BTP 'communications' over the period 2007 to 2009.
Councillor Caroline Roberts commented, "The answer I received in January shows the Conservative Cabinet's attitude to the BTP for what it really is. They are determined to force through the entire package despite widespread opposition to certain elements such as the Bus Rapid Transit route.
"They have still not proved that the benefits of the BRT outweigh those of the alternative routes - routes which have still not been fully considered."
Don Foster MP said, "Clearly the Council needs to spend money communicating with residents, but their leaflets have been more like propaganda than consultation. When the first leaflet a resident receives begins 'The Council has decided' then things are not right.
"No information I have been supplied has altered my opinion that this project has been tackled the wrong way round."
The publicity budget includes spending on the "stop gridlock" website which has only received 6000 hits since it was set up in September, according to further questions tabled by Councillor Caroline Roberts. This equates to only 3.5 % of the population of B&NES. The website itself hasn't been updated since the middle of January and doesn't even point visitors to the planning applications which are currently open to comment.
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