Proposed funding cut for Visit Norwich is outrageous, say Lib Dems

3.27.50pm UTC (GMT +0000) Thu 15th Feb 2007

Leading Liberal Democrat city councillor, Ian Couzens, has strongly criticised a proposed £50,000 cut in the Council's grant to Visit Norwich Ltd. The proposal is contained in the 2007/08 budget being put forward by the Labour administration at City Hall. It represents a 50% cut in the funding of £100,000 pa for Visit Norwich which the Liberal Democrats committed to in 2005, when Visit Norwich was set up to provide a much needed boost in support for the visitor economy.

Cllr Ian Couzens led the Council when Visit Norwich was set up.

Cllr Couzens, who as Leader of the Council led the initiative in 2005, said: "It is outrageous that the Labour administration are trying to sabotage Visit Norwich in this way. Visit Norwich provides essential support for the business and tourism economy in Norwich where there are thousands of jobs at stake.

"By making this cut they are clearly dishonouring an agreement entered into by both parties where support has been committed up to March, 2008. If this cut is voted through, then any future agreements entered into by Norwich City Council would not be worth the paper they are written on.

"The funding was committed for an initial three years, through a service level agreement signed by both parties," said Cllr Couzens. A service level agreement is a normal arrangement the Council enters into, so that grant recipients can plan ahead without having annual uncertainty over funding.

"There is provision in the agreement for a comprehensive review in September 2007 to determine the level of support for the next three years from April, 2008, and this is what should have happened," he said. "We are totally against the proposed cut."

Click on the link below to go to the Visit Norwich website - and let all your your visitors from outside Norwich know about it!

Related Link:

- Visit Norwich website.