The coalition at West Oxfordshire District Council have again come under fire for spending money on refurbishing another part of the council building. Last year the coalition spent just under £500,000 refurbishing the council chamber which the Conservative group at the council branded as a "waste of money on another pet project".
It has now been revealed, by a written question to Cllr Alaric Smith the Executive Member for Finance, that the council are spending a further £20,726 on redecorating the council committee rooms which includes upgrades to LED lighting, a new carpet, blinds and painting of the walls.
Conservative Group Leader, Cllr Michele Mead, said "When will this constant spend of taxpayers money end! We have residents complaining about fly-tipping and shops closing their doors on our High Street and the coalition are focused on painting the walls of the council building. They need to stop wasting money and focus on improving the services that our residents are paying their council tax for."
A spokesperson for West Oxfordshire District Council said, "The upgrade of the lighting to LEDs, is aligned with the Council’s drive to reduce its overall carbon footprint. Due to the age of the existing ceiling, replacement tiles are no longer available to fit the existing grid so as part of the lighting upgrade a new ceiling will have to be installed."