Political row at Upton Parish Council over community centre project

Feb 27 2009 by Laurie Stocks-Moore, Chester Chronicle

A POLITICAL spat has continued to dog a parish council as they try to fund a new community centre.

Liberal Democrats at Upton Parish Council are determined to build a new multi-purpose community centre on the site of their present meeting place, the Pavilion, at Wealstone Lane, Upton.

At the last meeting, the demand for an increased annual precept of £93,110, including money for the Pavilion Project proved a sticking point.

Conservative councillors’ opposition to moves to fund the project was dismissed as “the politics of the lunatic asylum” by Liberal Democrat councillor Bob Thompson.

Nearly two years ago, the parish council agreed to put £50,000 towards the Pavilion project but at last month’s meeting, Cllr Jill Houlbrook (Con) objected to spending an initial £20,000 on the scheme when it was not definitely going ahead.

Chairman Jean Evans said the Tory councillors contradicted their call for the building to be repaired in a newsletter which said the building was “irreparable”.

It claimed that the building has only fallen into disrepair because of the neglect and incompetence of the other parties.

Cllr Jean Evans added: “They are well aware that the parish council has been told that the building is in such a poor state that we would be throwing good money after bad if we spent money on refurbishment.

“But at this late stage in our progress towards building a new community centre they were suggesting we look again at refurbishing the building.”

The project’s management team, working under the council, is in talks with architects and developers about the possibility of using land at Marl Heyes for housing and about the design of a community centre in Wealstone Lane.