Town taxpayers to foot bill for Dam?

Feb 25 2010 Janet Lee

Chasewater: borrowing option put before crunch meeting

Burntwood taxpayers could have to foot the bill for a district council loan for repairs to Chasewater Dam.

An agreement was reached at a Lichfield District Council meeting on Tuesday night that money could be borrowed ‘if necessary’.

The council’s Cabinet Member for Finance Councillor Michael Wilcox confirmed councillors voted in favour of a motion asking for approval to borrow if external funding cannot be found.

Cllr Wilcox said the aim of the district council is to work with regional partners to secure external funding.

But he pointed out: “Having inherited the dam we are legally bound to carry out the works.”

Cllr Steve Norman, who was at Tuesday’s meeting, said the motion to ‘borrow in principle’ came completely out of the blue.

Cllr Norman said the request had to be made ‘because of council’s finances’ and the ‘uncertainty of income’.

He said the request ‘caused mayhem at the meeting’.

Although the motion was agreed, there would have to be a special meeting of the entire council before any borrowing could go ahead, he pointed out.

Taxpayers could be faced with a repair bill of over £3m for the dam, which needs urgent structural work.

Cllr Wilcox said it is ‘wholly unfair’ that the district’s 40,000 taxpayers should bear the entire cost of repairs.

“The council does not benefit financially from the water in the reservoir, which is used regionally by British Waterways,” he said. “The water feeds most of the West Midlands canal network, which is a key part of the region’s economy.

“It also supports hundreds of businesses region-wide - from canal side cafes and visitor attractions to top canal side destinations and housing developments.”

Major events such as Pelsall Canal Festival, which was due to take place in June, have been cancelled because the canal system is being drained. The festival would have attracted boats from all over the country.

During Tuesday’s meeting Cllr Norman asked council chiefs for an apology for the delay in progress for a new community arts space/venue for Burntwood.

Cllr Wilcox told The Post that is also something the district council is trying to seek external funding for.

“We are committed to working with Burntwood Town Council and Hammerwich Parish Council,” he added.

The preferred sites are at Chase Terrace Technology College and Chasetown Football Club.

*At the meeting councillors approved a three per cent rise in council tax.