Row over Pantiles cuts continue

10.37.52am GMT Mon 7th Mar 2005

PPC Laura Murphy, "Cuts in grants will mean cuts in business."

Liberal Democrat PPC Laura Murphy joined Cllr David Neves in condemning the Cabinet's proposal to cut the grants to the Pantiles traders. Even the Courier criticised the Council's "Poverty of vision".

"When I spoke to traders in October", said Laura,"they were furious even then about the closure of the museum and the Council's laissez faire attitude towards, what is, the jewel in Tunbridge Wells' crown.

Once again the Cabinet have shown their incompetence by not even consulting with the traders about the impact these cuts would have. The small amount of good work that had been done by hard working staff has now been undermined by this crass decision. The Audit Commission assessment of this as a "weak" Council still holds true.

It is ironic that the ruling Tory party, built as it is upon the premise of supporting the entrepreneur and businessman, apparently lack the basic understanding of the support that businesses require. Instead of promoting this wonderful asset to the hilt and encouraging the development of a socially and economically vibrant town, this Council is letting Tunbridge Wells slip into a genteel, terminal decline."