Councillors accused of ‘epic’ cash blunders

LABOUR COUNCILLORS have been accused of overseeing “epic financial blunders” with the cash crisis at Sheffield’s major facilities and leisure centres.

Sheffield Council has bailed out Sheffield City Trust, and its management arm, Sheffield International Venues, with emergency funding. The council gave £1m earlier this year, will subside the trust by £2.8m annually and will put another £3.5m towards health and safety costs and maintenance at facilities.

The trust, which runs major facilities such as Ponds Forge, Hillsborough Leisure Centre and the FlyDSA Arena and a number of other venues via Sheffield International Venues, had problems managing finances, which Liberal Democrat members have claimed is a major concern.

Coun Simon Clement-Jones, the shadow cabinet member for finance, said: “We are concerned about the trust’s ability to manage its own finances and how it was allowed to get into such a state of disarray by the Labour council.

“Once again people are paying for a series of epic financial blunders by this Labour council who have had their heads in the sand over the dire financial situation of the trust.”

However, the ruling Labour administration has accused the Lib Dems of ignoring the fact that the trust is an independent organisation and the decision was taken to provide the funding to safeguard its future and provide financial stability for the next three years.

The cabinet member for parks and leisure, Coun Mary Lea, said: “Labour has invested in major sporting facilities which have been of such great benefit to the health and well-being of people.”

Coun Clement-Jones is standing as a Lib Dem candidate in the Sheffield Heeley constituency in the General Election. Other candidates are Labour’s Louise Haigh, Paul Turpin for the Green Party, Gordon Gregory for the Conservatives and the Brexit Party’s Tracy Knowles.