Dear Hadleigh residents

At the full town council meeting of 16th February this year, Hadleigh Town Council agreed to pay the porch project £2,600 for rent of a room one day per week for 26 weeks to allow Job Centre Plus to run a mobile job centre.

Job Centre Plus is a government department - it has the funds to pay its own rent.

Hadleigh town council (HTC) are the sole trustees of HMFC (Hadleigh Market Feoffment Charity) taking care of the Guildhall complex. Every year HTC grants HMFC around £60,000 of public money to keep it afloat.

Hadleigh Porch Project (Picture: Nub News)

In terms of renting out rooms, HMFC are in competition with the Porch Project.

Why didn't HTC instead offer a room at the Guildhall to the Job Centre Plus and give the £2,600 to HMFC? This could have reduced the grant needed by HMFC and saved money from the public purse.

The Guildhall is being run on around a 10% occupancy and needs a huge grant, while the trustee supports competitors with public funds.

If HTC removed the grant and reduced the precept accordingly, it would mean a £20 a year saving on council tax for a Band D property .

Is this a good use of public funds?

From a concerned resident 

(Name and address supplied)