Ealing Conservative Councillors are claiming a victory for the public after the Labour Administration have bowed to pressure to allow the public to hire the famous Victoria Hall at Ealing Town Hall for the full duration of the proposed 250 year lease.
Conservative Councillors called in the decision at the 4th August Overview and Scrutiny Meeting and successfully argued the 5 years was not long enough to protect the public interest on a 250 year lease for a well-used, much-loved public asset that had been built by public subscription.
Cllr Anthony Young, Opposition Spokesman said:
“I am delighted that as result of Conservative intervention, we managed to safeguard the public right to hire the Victoria Hall for 250 years rather than just 5 years as initially proposed.
The Victoria Hall was built by public subscription to commemorate Queen Victoria’s Golden Jubilee in 1887. For the Labour Administration to limit the public right to hire the best parts of the Town Hall without adequately safeguarding the public interest was unacceptable to us.
I am therefore pleased that the public and future generations will continue to have access to the full splendour of the Victoria Hall.”
