Thatcham politicians clash over 'swanky' offices

Councillors have approved the budget of £1,287,525 – of which £36,189 will be raised by Thatcham residents – which equates to each band D property paying £72.55 for town council services.
The town council budget includes provision of a second flood alleviation pond for Thatcham and the continuation of civic events, including the Fun Day at Henwick Worthy field.
Describing it as an excellent budget, town council leader Bob Morgan (Lib Dem, Thatcham South and Crookham) said that it would enable the town council to support the life of residents by continuing to deliver services.
Lee Dillon (Lib Dem, Thatcham North) said that he was delighted that the council had made a strong commitment to protecting the town by taking the total spending on flood alleviation to £60,000, about 10 per cent of the precept, to address residents’ concerns.
However, the budget also includes funding to convert the Priory into a community facility in the heart of Thatcham.
The thorny issue of borrowing public money for the project flared again when Dominic Boeck (Con, Thatcham South and Crookham) said: “I fear that all that good work has led to a hubristic view of things and taking on the enormous project of new swanky offices.
"They have gone beyond their remit and ambition has overtaken common sense, spending on the crumbling heap that is the Priory.”
Rebutting Mr Boeck, Mike Cole (Lib Dem, Thatcham North) said: “This is not new council offices. The council office will take up only one-fifth of the Priory not the whole lot. Almost 50 per cent of this will be for public use.”
The town council has borrowed up to £760,000 from the Government to restore the building and Mr Cole added that this amount would be covered by the anticipated rental of the current town council offices and the income generated from the Priory.
“Yes the amount is gross but it is covered 100 per cent by the anticipated rental so it will have no impact on the precept,” he said.
Mr Cole said that if the town council had adopted a method proposed by Mr Boeck and his Conservative colleague Roger Croft, the town council would have taken out a loan but would have no asset to show for it.
Mr Morgan pointed out that the business plan had been quickly approved by a Government department led by Conservative minister Eric Pickles. He added that there was a desire in the town for a centrally located community building and that the Conservatives wanted to take services and facilities away.
“I think in the future people will look at it and enjoy it and take pride in it and remember that Dominic Boeck called it a crumbling ruin,” he said.
There was a tense moment when Mr Boeck was pulled up for describing the offices as “swanky” by mayor Gary Johnson (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) who said it was not a word that he would use for the council chamber.
Mr Boeck questioned why he had been accosted for using the term and asked Mr Johnson if he could supply a list of appropriate words.
Jeff Brooks (Lib Dem, Thatcham West) said that there was a clear difference between the two opposing political parties.
Mr Brooks said that it had taken the Liberal Democrats many years to provide infrastructure and community facilities in the town after it had been turned into a developer’s paradise in recent decades.
“We deliver community assets, community buildings and services whereas the Tory group on this council and West Berkshire take them away,” he said.
Summing up the approval for the budget, Owen Jeffery (Lib Dem, Thatcham South and Crookham) said: “Residents are getting a full civic life… we are also delivering £60,000 during the life of this council for a flood alleviation scheme, something that devastated this town, and we are there putting this money in.
“We are doing a good job delivering a flat council tax situation and we are delivering the Priory. We are in effect doing it at no cost to the taxpayer at all.
“It’s a good budget. It’s a budget for a future for Thatcham… it’s balanced and allows us to go forward.”
Councillors approved the budget, precept and accepting a tender to refurbish the Priory, with Mr Boeck and Conservative councillor Richard Crumly opposed to the motions.