MP joins criticism of council web TV channel

PLANS for a council-run TV station have been savaged by a Carmarthenshire MP, amid suggestions the cost of running it could be hundreds of thousands of pounds.

The criticism from Plaid's Adam Price echoes an attack from fellow party members at a Carmarthenshire Council meeting last week.

They dismissed proposals for the internet-station — Carmarthenshire TV — as a propaganda tool and a waste of money.

Council officials have been keen to stress that the year-long pilot project would be funded in the main by the Assembly and that it is still in its initial stages, but the timing has sparked uproar, as the authority prepares to cut £6 million from its budget.

Mr Price said this week: "I am quite astonished that the county council would think it is appropriate to spend thousands of pounds of taxpayer's money on a TV channel and self promotion at the same time people in the county are struggling to make ends meet.

Self-promotion

"It is amazing that while the Labour-Independent group leading the council complain that they do not have enough money, even though they received one of the best local government settlements in Wales, they consider self-promotion through a TV channel as an acceptable expense."

Carmarthenshire's assistant chief executive Chris Burns had told the meeting the bilingual scheme would cost £30,000 for the year, and be part-funded by axing one issue of the council's bi-monthly Community News magazine.

But that has done nothing to placate its critics, and Plaid has continued its attack since.

In a statement, the party's leader in county hall, Peter Hughes Griffiths, said: "We know already the county council spends more on self-publicity than other councils.

"In a recession, with the council's leaders complaining incessantly about the lack of money from the Government, there is no excuse for increasing expenditure in this area.

"I know that Kent Council launched a similar scheme — and the cost to them was £600,000."

In response, Mr Burns said: "It is important to stress that the proposal for the Carmarthenshire TV project is at a very early stage.

"The executive board has agreed in principle that we pursue the project, with our partner organisations in the Local Service Board, which will make much more information available online. It involves adding video items to our website to make it a multi-media platform.

"It is particularly aimed at giving young people information, and also giving media students opportunities for practical experience, in partnerships with the local colleges and, hopefully, the local media." Funding streams and a provider are now being discussed."