Telford & Wrekin Council defends its spends on planning
Telford & Wrekin Council has hit back over claims it has been squandering taxpayers' money – after it emerged it could spend up to £1.5m on three planning applications in Newport.
Leaked papers for last night's Cabinet meeting showed the council had already spent £605,336 on three supermarket applications in Station Road, Audley Avenue and at Mere Park Garden Centre.
This figure could rise to anywhere between £1.2m and £1.5m.
Speaking after the behind-closed-doors meeting, Councillor Bill McClements defended the expense, and said the council was trying to get the best deal for the borough.
He said: "All councils when they review, and even the government, will use the same specialist companies as we have. People say it will destroy the centre of Newport but so would two other supermarkets. Over 60 per cent of people do their shopping out of Newport.
"This supermarket will not only keep them in Newport but also bring people in from surrounding areas."
Reacting to the leaked papers earlier in the day, Councillor Adrian Meredith said the council was 'squandering public money'.
Two supermarkets, at Mere Park and Audley Ave-nue were given the go-ahead by planning inspectors but have been challenged in the High Court by the council, costing the taxpayer more than £100,000.
The council favours a larger hypermarket in Station Road, which would net the authority £21m in land sales. That scheme was passed by the council's plans board but has been called in by the secretary of state to be decided at a public inquiry, starting in January.
Councillor McClements said: "The supermarket at Station Road would create 274 full-time and part-time jobs. The £21m raised from the sale of the site will be put towards our debts and will save us £1.6m a year on debt repayments."
He said the council was confident it would win the legal challenge.
