Letter to the Chronicle on further local Conservative profligacy

Dear Sir,

Fresh on the footsteps of their District Council colleagues who misspent £200,000 on a car park they couldn't build, the Tory leaders of Sevenoaks town council look as if they are heading for an overspend on the Community Investment Plan which has been the centrepiece of their election buildup.

Building problems stemming from maintenance at the Vine Cafe, which was originally supposed to be funded entirely by private contributions and grants, may push the cost towards £100,000. And the rebuild of the Community Centre, which we all want to see, may cost as much as £2.6 million rather than the budgeted £1.8 million.

One million pounds adrift is quite an achievement for a group of Conservative councillors who claim to know how to look after tax payers money!

When the Liberal Democrats were in a majority on the Town Council we completed the current Town Council offices in Bradbourne Vale Road on time and on budget for £390,000. And we bought the existing Community Centre for the Sevenoaks taxpayers for just £15,000. That's value for money.

Yours sincerely

Tony Clayton

Former finance chair of Sevenoaks Town Council

75, Bayham Road