Yorkshire seaside town ‘neglected while rival benefits’

A pressure group has been launched in Filey in the hope of diverting more funds away from showpiece developments in Scarborough, which campaigners claim has benefitted from a far greater level of investment than the smaller town.

Peter Bradney, one of the founders of the Fight 4 Filey group, launched a scathing attack on the focus of Scarborough Borough Council’s spending.

He maintained Filey has been neglected since the local government reorganisation of 1974, and his home town had been “short-changed” and was now the “poor relation” to Scarborough.

He pointed towards re-development schemes in Scarborough such as the town’s Spa, the Open Air Theatre and the Rotunda Museum as an indication that development in Filey has not kept pace.

Mr Bradney said: “Filey people pay council tax and a local precept. This is more than Scarborough people pay, and Filey is constantly subsidising Scarborough’s improvement schemes – at our expense.”

Campaigners have pointed towards figures which showed the borough council’s spending was £16 per head in Filey compared with £95 per head in Scarborough. But the council’s strategic director, Hilary Jones, was adamant Filey is receiving adequate support.

The council, which is battling to make savings of nearly £4.5m over two years, confirmed it is spending £140,000 on capital projects in Filey compared with £827,000 in Scarborough in this financial year. Mr Jones claimed investment in the major projects in Scarborough has brought benefits to the whole district and not just the resort itself.

“We certainly do not regard Filey as a poor relation,” he added. “Indeed, we would be more than happy to listen to ideas from Fight 4 Filey about how and where investment could be targeted, but basic economics dictate it has to be sustainable and in the current financial climate capital spend is very restricted.

“Nevertheless, as part of our financial planning regime all town and parish councils are given the opportunity to bid for money towards capital projects.”