Leak reveals high cost of rushed Millfield plan

4:45pm Monday 29th September 2008

LEAKED PAPERS reveal the lengths that Enfield Council was prepared to go to in order to rush through plans for the future of the Weir Hall Library site.

Senior figures had email conversations in which it was agreed to pay an outside firm £40,000 to produce a study into the Millfield Complex, work which would have cost £10,000 for council staff to do.

The discussions involved officers in the Corporate, Leisure and Education departments of the authority.

They wanted to make sure that a comphrensive plan for the future of the Edmonton site, in Silver Street, could be presented to a meeting of the cabinet on September 10.

This was because council staff could not complete the work in time, and council leader, Cllr Mike Rye, along with education supremo Peter Lewis, were keen for the matter to be approved so that work could begin as soon as possible.

Reacting to the leak, Cllr Rye said: “I do not comment on leaked e-mails since they are rarely in context and will not paint a true picture. I am happy to make clear my position on the Millfield site.

"I have given a public undertaking in full council and other fora that we will improve the facilities on the Millfield site.

"I am always keen to see good things happen quickly and I have made that clear to officers dealing with this matter.

“What will come forward will be a substantial improvement to the Millfield site, providing for those who currently use it and in order to attract new users.

"That level of work inevitably involves preparation, including feasibility studies, to make sure what can be done”

But the Tax Payers Alliance has blasted the move as “not value for money”.

Spokesman, Mark Wallace said: “It’s obviously concerning that the council seems to think it’s acceptable to go wildly over-budget, when we are told councils do not have much money and tax payers are struggling to pay council tax as it stands.”

Cllr George Savva has headed a campaign to save Weir Hall Library.

He even chained himself to the building in protest against future plans.

Last week Enfield Council pledged to pump £2.5 into the future of the Millfield Theatre site, which is based in Silver Street, Edmonton.