Janet Finch-Saunders, Member of the Welsh Parliament for Aberconwy, has unearthed that Conwy County Borough Council has spent £3,451.93 on electricity and water for its HGV depot in Mochdre since 2017/18.
The figure was disclosed to Mrs Finch-Saunders in response to a Freedom of Information Request.
The figures are:
2017/18 Water - £349.68 Electricity – No Cost
2018/19 Water - £105.68 Electricity - No Cost
2019/20 Water - £55.34 Electricity - No Cost
2020/21 Water - £239.01 Electricity - No Cost
2021/22 Water - £332.68 Electricity - £1504.04
2023/24 Water - No Cost Electricity - £865.50
2024/25 Water - No Cost Electricity – No Cost
The contract for the not-fit-for-purpose building started in May 2016, meaning the Authority has, to date, spent around £2 million on rent – costing taxpayers around £20,000 a month. Additionally, Mrs Finch-Saunders has disclosed this week that the Local Authority has so far spent around £300,000 on legal advice in relation to the contract for the multi-million-pound HGV depot which they are locked into until at least 2031.
Commenting on the newly disclosed cost of utilities, Janet said:
“In 2016 Conwy County Borough Council signed up taxpayers to a major financial black hole.
“In addition to the hundreds of thousands spent on legal advice and millions on rent, it turns out that thousands have been spent on utility bills. The costs and waste of taxpayers money get worse and worse.
“As I have said before, in business, such a catastrophic spend as this would lead to those accountable being held responsible. Why should it be any different in the public sector?”
ENDS
