Tax-payers to fund Workington super-stadium referendum

By Safira Ali

Last updated 12:55, Thursday, 20 November 2008

Workington residents will be paying up to £10,000 for a referendum on the shared stadium next month.

Allerdale council is consulting on plans for a £31.4 million Derwent Valley sports and leisure area redevelopment, which will house both clubs.

Independent councillors Denis Robertson and John Bracken have asked for the public vote because they say plans for the new stadium will kill off Workington Reds football club and Workington Town rugby club.

They say they would rather see the money spent on improving the current rugby and football stadia, building a new leisure centre at Moorclose and on the town’s other sports clubs.

A crucial meeting was held earlier this month to decide whether the meeting should go ahead. More than a third of those who attended supported the vote, enough to carry it forward.

This week Workington town council’s Finance and General Purposes committee met to discuss how they will pay for the referendum, for which they will be footing the bill.

The results of the vote, which is expected to take place on December 11, will not be legally binding on Allerdale council, which will make the final decision on the proposals.

The town council is expected to dip into its annual precept of £135,000 to pay for the referendum, which will cost between £8,000 and £10,000.

The annual precept is raised through the council tax from Workington residents.

On Tuesday night members of the financial committee were discussing whether to cut back money given to the Trades Hall and Citizen’s Advice Bureau. In total the council has precepted almost £7,000 this financial year for both organisations.

Councillor Judith Glynn said at the meeting: “It’s a sad thing if we have to take money from the Trades Hall and Citizens’ Advice Bureau to pay for the referendum. I don’t agree with the referendum. I think the money should come out of next year’s budget.”

Councillor Ivor Humes said: “There have to be adjustments made somewhere.”