City to blow £200,000 on giant TV screen

The decision to give the project the go-ahead was today blasted by voluntary groups and opposition councillors, at a time when the council faces a funding crisis.

Tory culture spokesman Gordon Buchan said it was "obscene" to spend so much money on the project.

"I don't think we should be squandering this much money on it considering the council's ongoing financial trouble," he said.

"It's a bit perverse to spend 200,000 for a widescreen TV when there are community groups facing losing their funding and when we can't afford to repair our roads and pavements properly."

The Capital was one of a host of cities approached to become a host site for broadcasts from the London 2012 Olympics. Other cities – Glasgow, Belfast, Cardiff and Southampton have also been approached – will have a giant screen installed to show programmes centred around the Games, but councils will be able to choose the rest of the content.

The 280 sq ft screen, which is due to be installed in a prominent location such as Castle Street or Festival Square by this summer, will show BBC TV programmes, football and rugby internationals and community films. It will cost the council 50,000 this year, rising to 75,000 in subsequent years.

The council will have to pay for maintenance costs and any security associated with big sporting events, while the London Olympics team will pay the annual lease of up to 100,000. The screen will stay in place for at least four years.

Council chiefs insist the screen is an opportunity the city "can't afford to miss" but it comes after a huge number of council services in Edinburgh have been cut back.

200,000 would pay for the council's axed home shopping service for pensioners for two years. It would also keep the Ark cafe for homeless people open for over a year, following its closure.

Earlier this week, the Evening News revealed that council officials were proposing further cuts to dozens of charities and voluntary groups in next year's budget. The popular Gorgie City Farm would be one of the biggest losers if councillors agreed to axe 75 per cent of its grant – equivalent to the annual cost of the TV screen.

Deputy council leader Steve Cardownie said that, despite the city's funding crisis, the scheme was "an opportunity we can't afford to turn down". He also said some of the costs could be recouped through advertising.

He said: "We recognise the situation with finances but we can't bolt down the hatches on a project like this or we will regret it."

GROUP STUNNED AT CUT IN GRANT

COMMUNITY group the Pilmeny Development Project was given only seven days' notice of a cut to its council grant late last year.

The group, which has been operating in Leith since the 1970s, is unsure about its future and awaits news of its funding beyond April.

Community worker Carol Scarth said she struggled to understand the justification for spending money on a giant TV screen, while reducing grants to voluntary bodies.

Edinburgh City Council website