Under scrutiny: Health and safety concerns have added £350,000 to the Rose theatre bill
The finances of the Rose Theatre are set to come under scrutiny over "broken promises" by the executive of Kingston Council.
Last-minute health and safety concerns over doors and wires at the Rose Theatre had landed council taxpayers with a new £350,000 extension to the bill.
Conservative councillors are threatening to call-in the decision if the handover of the money is approved by executive members at a meeting this evening.
So far, the Kingston Theatre Limited Liability Partnership, set up to fund the theatre refit, has been loaned £5.2m, with the council funding 95 per cent
If the Conservatives call-in the decision, an overview panel made up of Tories and Lib Dems, will be able to quiz council leader Councillor Derek Osbourne and ask for more information about the council's role in funding the theatre.
“We expect them to call it in. The alternative is not to pay the bills of the business. Are the Conservatives really saying if some work is done they are not paying the bills?”
Councillor Derek Osbourne
They can also ask "interested parties" to attend a meeting, raising the prospect of the board of the Kingston Theatre Limited Liability Partnership being grilled.
Speaking ahead of tonight's meeting, Coun Osbourne said: "We expect them to call it in. The alternative is not to pay the bills of the business. Are the Conservatives really saying if some work is done they are not paying the bills?"
Posted by: Dave Gorman, London on 9:21am Wed 14 May 08
It looks to my like local tories are stabbing in the dark for some direction.
This theatre is the best thing to happen to Kingston at night, I actually felt safe when I went to the theatre one Friday night last month with friends (I can't remember the last time they said that)!
Surely with knife stabbings all over the press since Boris was elected local tories aren't going to try and have a bloodbath in Kingston by killing the night time saviour???
It looks to my like local tories are stabbing in the dark for some direction.
This theatre is the best thing to happen to Kingston at night, I actually felt safe when I went to the theatre one Friday night last month with friends (I can't remember the last time they said that)!
Surely with knife stabbings all over the press since Boris was elected local tories aren't going to try and have a bloodbath in Kingston by killing the night time saviour???
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