Arts Centre questions

Published on 2nd October 2008 in Letters

Sir - Following the Clerk to Goole Town Council'' letter to your paper (September 18) regarding the performance of G.T.C., I have asked him for the following information:

Arts Centre - 1. Whose idea was this project, and how did it become Goole Town policy? 2. How were the people of Goole consulted, if at all? 3. Could you give me a detailed, costed breakdown of the anticipated annual income and expenditure for this project? 4. Were these costings carried out by officers of G.T.C. or was an outside firm of accountants used? 5. How many extra staff will be employed?

Grants to voluntary organisations - 1. Could you provide me with details of current grants approved as well as a list of organisations whose claims were rejected? 2. Where grants applied for exceeds the budget what criteria are used to decide who gets the grants? 3. What financial checks are carried out on these organisations? 4. Do councillors and officers of G.T.C. have to declare their interest in these organisations and could I have the details please?

I'll be interested to see how quickly this information is provided. The most important question is question 1 for the Arts Centre.

In 1995 I was an auditor for Boothferry Borough Council when the Michael Wheaton misconduct was discovered and when most of the G.T.C. officers and councillors at that time claimed they knew nothing. Who knows, the Arts Centre project could be a brilliant success, but if it goes belly up the people of Goole have a right to know who is to blame.

Paul Thompson

Milton Street, Goole