Greenham precept to rise to pay for spiralling costs of Control Tower

Above-inflation rise to cover overspend on flagship redevelopment

Greenham residents will have to foot the bill of the spiralling costs of the control tower project after the full extent of the funding shortfall was revealed.

At a heated parish council meeting, held last Wednesday, councillors took nearly two hours to agree a budget, which will see the precept paid by the taxpayer rise by an above-inflation 3.02 per cent.

The increase is necessary to cover future costs of the refurbishment of the iconic Cold War control tower into a visitor centre and café at Greenham Common, according to councillors.

Speaking at the meeting councillor Julian Swift-Hook, who is spearheading the initiative, said: “We already know that the project is over budget so it does need additional funding and this is a way that that could be provided.

“We have funding commitments that we know about and we are at risk of starving this in favour of other things.”

A draft budget originally put forward for parish councillors’ consideration at the meeting had allocated £10,000 towards the control tower.

Councillor Steve Westbrook said that Mr Swift-Hook’s proposed increase to £18,500 for the control tower was “substantial”.

He said: “We have budget creep. I have concerns about the budget and I think there will be a cost overrun.

“There are a lot of unknowns about the control tower.”

Councillor Gary Puffett said: “I don’t think that anybody around this table doesn’t understand it’s a flagship project but the increases that have happened over the last few months are a bit alarming to be honest.”

Mr Westbrook agreed: “I wouldn’t want to show that to my boss.

“I am keen to support the project but in the right way and I don’t think that increasing the precept is the right way to do it.”

Arguing the case for diverting funds towards the project, Councillor Pragna Hay said: “The control tower is a project that we have taken on and it needs to be seen to completion.

“Whether we increase the budget or not, we have got to find a way to complete it.”

Mr Swift-Hook said: “What I am proposing is that we allocate funding for the purpose of spending on the parish’s single largest asset.

“We want to provide the interpretation. At the moment there is no funding for that.

“I don’t understand why people are arguing about the most important project this parish has taken. We need to make sure it’s adequately funded.

“I am asking that the council puts adequate funding from that year’s budget for the control tower.

“Either you are willing to invest in this asset or you are not and I am really concerned to hear from some members here that they aren’t willing to invest.

“The control tower is the most important asset that we have. I am sensing that people are trying to constrain this project and I really don’t see why.”

Pressed by fellow councillors on ongoing costs for the project, he answered: “The hope is the building will ‘wash its back’, which means it will be self-funding. That’s the hope and expectation.

“The amount we are increasing it by is very small and it will allow us to have a sustainable budget and robust funding in place for the project that we as a parish council have decided to undertake.”

Councillors ultimately voted by a majority to approve the increase and an amended budget which will see a rise in the precept of 3.02 per cent, representing a total rise to £75,600.