“YOU are playing with fire” – those were the words of the deputy leader of the borough’s Labour group after a blueprint for a radical shake-up of cultural events in Basingstoke, that could save the borough council hundreds of thousands of pounds, moved a step closer to reality.

As previously reported by The Gazette, controversial plans have been put forward which could see the running of events, including Basingstoke Live and Basingstoke Festival, outsourced to a private company.

The proposals, which have been made by a group of councillors, officers and stakeholders, also include plans to cut borough council funding for cultural groups such as Anvil Arts, the trust that runs The Anvil and The Haymarket theatres.

A council report has stated that the borough council currently spends £481,000 per year on putting on events, but could save around £206,000 a year by getting an external organisation to run them.

In addition, cuts to a range of theatre and cultural groups in the borough could save £298,605 per year after 2019-20.

Last week, Basingstoke and Deane Borough Council’s seven-strong Cabinet rubber-stamped plans to undertake a “soft market-testing exercise” to examine the viability of the blueprint before a final decision is made.

The decision means that the borough council will now approach external organisations to see if they express an interest in putting on the portfolio of events, and if the proposal goes ahead, they will be invited to table detailed bids.

But Councillor Paul Harvey, the borough’s Labour group deputy leader, slammed the Cabinet’s decision, telling the meeting: “I feel very strongly that soft market testing has got to be independent and something that has got confidence, because this is going to take you to the conclusions that you are going to reach.

“If you go down that road, you are playing with fire and risking something very important, and you need to understand the consequences of your actions.”

Several Labour and Indep-endent councillors spoke against the plans at the meeting, including Labour group leader Cllr Laura James, who said the borough council needed to look at its relationship with Hampshire County Council following cuts in funding for public transport and the supporting people programme.

Anvil Arts chairman Andrew Finney spoke about the importance of funding from the borough council, which ensures additional funding for the trust from the Arts Council.

But Cllr John Izett, Cabinet member for property, finance and commissioning, defended the plans.

He told the meeting: “On Basingstoke Live specifically, the value attached to the event is acknowledged, and the important role it plays in encouraging local talent.”