A CONTROVERSIAL £7,500 dais installed in Test Valley Borough Council's Romsey council chamber has come under attack for a second time.
Liberal Democrat Cllr Mark Cooper condemned the extra money spent on the refurbishment of the room in last week's Andover Advertiser. Now Tory councillor Norman Arnell has also savaged the decision.
He said: "I feel uneasy about spending £7,500 on something unnecessary. I would not spend £7,500 of my own money on that dais, so why should we spend tax payers money on it?"
The decision to order the raised stage at a cost of £7,500 on top of the refurbishment was made by the leader of the Tory-run council, Cllr Ian Carr and Terry Gilmour, head of technical services, before the workmen carrying out the refurbishment left the Duttons Road site.
Cllr Carr said the use of a dais would allow the council chamber to be used more effectively for full council meetings, allowing the mayor to have a better view for controlling proceedings.
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