News from Westminster Labour

Westminster Tories give residents a £250,000 bill for empty Marylebone Library building

Westminster City Council has spent over £250,000 keeping the Grade II listed Marylebone Library closed for the past three years, according to figures obtained by Labour Councillors.

Over the last three years since the Marylebone Road library has been closed, the cost of the rates on the empty building add up to £253,000, as follows:

* 2009/10 – £124,000
* 2008/09 – £78,000
* 2007/08 – £51,000

Total – £253,000

Labour Councillors say that the Conservatives have dealt residents a double blow by allowing Marylebone Library to fall into disrepair and decay, and, at the same time, costing Council Tax Payers over £250,000 to keep the building empty.

Councillor Paul Dimoldenberg, Leader of the Labour Group, said:

“This another example of the Conservatives wasting public money by allowing this fine building at the heart of Marylebone to crumble and decay. It is typical of the Council’s wasteful extravagance that while the building lies idle, tax payers have to foot a £250,000 bill. Years of neglect has caused this problem – why did the Conservatives allow this building to fall into such disrepair that it had to be closed three years ago? It is a scandal and a disgrace that this building is being allowed to stand idle while residents have to foot an ever-increasing bill.”

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