Tory Council refuse to tell us how much the new council chamber will cost.

4.00.02pm GMT Sun 3rd Feb 2008

The County Council have refused to reveal the likely cost of refurbishing the County Council council chamber at the County Hall in Warwick. A freedom of information request on the costs by the Liberal Democrats was rejected with a 'Public Interest Refusal Notice'.

Proposals for refurbishing the council chamber were discussed in a County Council meeting on 30th October 2007. The part of the meeting that discussed the council chamber was held in secret session. Attempts by the Lib Dems to open the meeting to the public, proposed by Cllr David Booth (Lib Dem Kineton) were voted down by the Conservatives. The Lib Dems also proposed a maximum limit on spending of half a million pounds, but this was again voted down by the Conservatives.

Lib-Dem District Councillor Peter Moorse (Stratford District Council - Stratford Mount Pleasant) who raised the Freedom of Information request said, 'Residents will be surprised at the claim that it is not in the public interest for them to know the cost of refurbishing the council chamber. After all, it's their money,'

Alan Beddow (Lib Dem Parliamentary Candidate for Warwick & Leamington) said, "The issue is not that the council is refurbishing the council chamber, I know some of the work is to make it more accessible. I am more concerned that the Conservative led council are refusing to reveal how much it is costing us. If they can withhold the cost of the very chamber that is supposed to represent open democracy in this county it makes you wonder what else they are hiding."