By Kate Martin and Gill Farmer

PLANS to earmark a six-figure sum to help transform the borough's image were due to be unveiled on Tuesday, January 9 - but the revamp project has already provoked a war of words between rival politicians.

Labour group leader Councillor Gary Watts has hit out after Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council advertised for an Image of Basingstoke Project Manager.

The 15-hour-a-week role - which is for a 12-month contract and pays £37,476 to £41,664 pro-rata - involves supporting the Basingstoke and Deane Image Steering Group, which is working to rid the borough of its negative image.

But Cllr Watts is incensed that the council is prepared to spend so much money on what he has termed a "pen pusher".

"There are 101 better things this money could be spent on," said Cllr Watts.

"We need our council to be cleaning our streets, removing the graffiti and stamping out anti-social behaviour - but all of these have been cut under this Tory council.

"If the Tories want to improve the town's image, they could start with these. It just shows how out of touch they are."

Cllr Watts added: "Who cares if some journalist from a national newspaper, who has never been here, makes a stupid comment about the town? It's not something I go to bed worrying about and I don't believe one single business has been put off from moving here because of it.

"Just look around at the household names we already have here - have they been put off?"

Cllr Watts' comments have angered Conservative councillor Andrew Finney, the Cabinet member for economic and educational development, who defended the work that the council has done, and is doing, to improve the image of the borough.

Cllr Finney said: "I am absolutely appalled by the comments that Cllr Watts has made and I'm very disappointed that the leader of the Labour group feels that investing in the future of our borough is a waste of time.

"I would also like to challenge his comments about the lack of investment in the borough. There have not been cuts to the services he has mentioned - just changes in the ways things are done."

As revealed in The Gazette last month, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council chiefs want to revolutionise the way people see the area and make it a more attractive destination for shoppers, tourists, businesses and employees.

A report on the proposals will be presented to members of the council's economic and community development overview committee tomorrow before members give their views.

The report, written by the council's deputy chief executive Tony Curtis, says that £100,000 could be released for initial work to improve the borough's image - although the final figure will be decided by the Cabinet later this month. Council chiefs also plan to appoint image consultants later this year.

Business leaders and community heads have already teamed up with the council to form the image steering group, which held its first meeting in November and is investigating ways to improve Basingstoke and Deane's image.

Announcing the plans in The Gazette last month, Cllr Finney said: "Addressing the image issue is going to happen. We are going to do the research; we are going to spend the money; we are going to promote a positive image of Basingstoke and Deane."

Mr Curtis' report also summarises important developments in raising Basingstoke's profile.

In October, the Government named the borough as one of the country's 29 "New Growth Points" - areas where the population and economy is rapidly growing - and gave the borough council a £340,000 grant to fund studies into improving infrastructure, such as roads and sewerage, to support this expansion.

The South East England Regional Development Agency (SEEDA) has also labelled Basingstoke as one of the region's eight "Diamonds for Growth" - economic power houses that will need Government investment to secure its future prosperity.

  • Do you have a view on this issue? Write to The Letters Editor, Gazette Newspapers, Gazette House, Pelton Road, Basingstoke, RG21 6YD or e-mail editor@basingstokegazette.co.uk