Cinema excuses 'cut no mustard' - Rendel

12.07.56am UTC (GMT +0000) Wed 23rd May 2007

A question put to the Conservative Executive by Councillor David Rendel has shown that Newbury's cinema project has been left to drift. The whole future of a Newbury cinema is now uncertain. Meanwhile the Conservatives have demonstrated where their priorities really lie by pressing ahead with their plans for new office accommodation for the council.

"I am bitterly disappointed by the slow pace at which this important project is progressing", explained Councillor Rendel. "The Conservative response to my question simply ducked the issue. They made no attempt to explain why their latest excuses for delay were not known about and dealt with months ago.

"They are claiming now that they have no power to speed things up because it is a private development. So why have they misled the electorate twice running by making a new cinema for Newbury one of their election promises? If they believe it is not in their power to make it happen, they should never have promised it."

"The Conservative MP has been just as bad," continued Councillor Rendel. "If he had had any real commitment to this project, by now he would have been screaming at his colleagues running the Council to get it done. This is West Berkshire's greatest need. But it seems that the Conservatives are putting far more effort into secret negotiations to find more office space for the Council than into pushing forward with a cinema for all the residents to enjoy".