Porth Eirias: MP fears facility will become 'cash-guzzling white elephant'
Councillors debated on future of Bryn Williams's bistro for two hours, with David Jones MP concerned about
An MP fears a multi-million pound watersports complex could become a “cash-guzzling white elephant”.
David Jones, MP for Clwyd West, has slammed Conwy Council’s handling of the £3.7m Porth Eirias on Colwyn Bay waterfront.
On Monday morning councillors voted to discuss the future of celebrity chef Bryn Williams’s bistro, to be built in the seafront facility, in private.
Bryn was first announced as taking over the lease in September last year but since then there have been numerous delays.
Mr Jones MP said: “There is considerable concern about the pall of secrecy that surrounds the Council’s plans for Porth Eirias.
“Here we have a building that was completed at the cost of several million pounds over a year ago and has stood virtually empty since.
“Now, by all accounts, the council want to spend several hundred thousand more simply to accommodate a single prospective tenant of part of the space.
“Council taxpayers, who will have to foot the bill if the work is given approval, really should be told why the work now proposed wasn’t considered when the building was designed.
“They also need to know whether any less expensive use could be found for it.
“This is a simple question of transparency.
“There may be good reasons for the Council’s actions, but unless the secrecy is dropped, nobody can tell.”
The Daily Post understands the cost of refitting the facility for the Denbigh-born chef is up to £400,000.
Mr Jones added: “At the moment Conwy taxpayers might be excused for thinking Porth Eirias is just a cash-guzzling white elephant.”
Cllr Cheryl Carlisle, Chair of Principal Scrutiny, and Leader of the Conservatives on Conwy Council, was disappointed with the decision.
She said “We, as a Conservative group, proposed by Cllr Janet Haworth, seconded by Cllr Don Milne, and supported by Cllr Sara Allardice (of the Labour Party), voted to hear this in public.
“Unfortunately we were outvoted by the rest of the Principal Scrutiny Committee.
“We argued it should be heard in public, as it is in the best interests of tax payers in Conwy for them to hear exactly how their money is being spent, unfortunately this opportunity for accountability and transparency was not supported today.”
Cllr Haworth branded the decision as “anti-constitutional” and added: “There has been considerable public interest, and public doubt, over the future of Porth Eirias. If we exclude public we add to the damage.”
A Conwy council spokeswoman said: “Members of the Principal Overview & Scrutiny Committee considered the Porth Eirias report in detail this morning.
“The Committee’s recommendations will be presented to Cabinet on Tuesday August 12 for a decision.”
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