Council to take closer look at town centre plan

A special meeting of the resources scrutiny committee will be held on Monday to examine the cost and funding of the project.

The call-in was requested by Coun Charles Johnson and supported by another two committee members.

Coun Johnson said: "We have called it in to examine the financial implications of the scheme.

"We want to see how much the scheme has cost the town hall to date, how much the preliminary costs will be, how much the work will cost to complete and the maintenance costs, and how it will be funded.

"The call-in is to see the financial package - details of the finances and how much it will cost the taxpayer."

The report given to members at the Cabinet meeting stated that up to £2.5m may have to be found for the scheme, either through the council budget or through borrowing.

The call-in over the project's finances is the latest in a series of controversies surrounding the project.

Groups representing disabled people have voiced concerns over proposals to allow cyclists into the "pedestrian heart" - a move which the council says is necessary to avoid cyclists using the ring road.

A six-month trial period permitting cyclists into the "pedestrian heart" followed by a review to take note of public opinion will be put in place.

There have also been protests from Darlington Civic Trust about the removal of some of the town centre's Victorian features.

The Trust organised a petition opposing the plans, collecting more than 1,000 signatures in one day.

But at the Cabinet meeting approving the plans, Coun Nick Wallis said until recently he had not heard one comment about the scheme which was not positive.

Also at the meeting, council leader John Williams said that consultation had been thorough and most people in the town were in favour of the plans.

The scheme's finances will be examined by the resources scrutiny committee on Monday at 9.30am in the Town Hall.

* Labour and Tories clash over vision for town: page