Theatre bounces back from brink after desperate plea for funding

Struggling rubbish contractor demands £450,000 for wages and new vehicles

By Lilly Croucher

TAXPAYERS’ money could be used to pay out as much as £446,750 to a failing waste collection service that needs money for drivers and leasing a new fleet of vehicles. There was a similar bail out last year.

Under proposals by Spanish-owned waste contractor Urbaser, Tunbridge Wells Borough Council (TWBC) and Tonbridge & Malling Borough Council (TMBC) will each pay up to £150,000 towards the replacement of the entire fleet of refuse collection vehicles.

Discussions

On top of this, the two councils are also being asked to pay up to £29,350 a month to cover the cost of wages for Urbaser’s HGV drivers.

These proposals were discussed in a Cabinet Advisory Board last Wednesday (January 25), with a decision to be made by Cabinet in February as part of council budget discussions.

By Victoria Roberts

FINANCIALLY troubled arts venue

Trinity has been rescued – at least for now – within a week of launching a crowdfunder that drew an ‘incredible’ response from the public.

The theatre now faces a ‘robust’ financial makeover, if it is to survive.

Residents were shocked last week when it was revealed that the community arts centre was on the edge of closing and needed £25,000 by the close of January. Something it achieved. It now needs a further £100,000 by the end of February.

Acting chief executive Nick Mowat told the Times that Trinity had approached its supporters, first those who already financially back the centre – residents and businesses – then volunteers and finally the wider public.

Speaking just a week after the crowdfunder launch, he said: “The incredible news is that we have already hit our first target (£25,000),and exceeded it.

“People are being extraordinary.”

There are over 700 members, each paying £30, or £45 for a couple, he explained. “These were our first port of call.”

There are also seven corporate partners, paying £2,500 a year, and a dozen lower-level corporate supporters.

Expressing gratitude to all of Trinity’s donors, supporters and volunteers, he said nevertheless box office takings

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The one-off contribution from both TWBC and TMBC will go towards the £775,000 cost of terminating the contractor’s existing lease of vehicles and leasing 44 brand new vehicles as part of an eight-year deal.

The Madrid based waste collection service, Urbaser, will pay the remaining cost of the termination as part of a project to ‘re-round’ and ‘re-fleet’ its service after being hit with complaints about missed collections in both boroughs over the last four years.

Luke Everitt, Tunbridge Wells

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