Perth and Kinross Council has refused to reveal how much taxpayers’ money was spent on this year’s Christmas lights switch-on ceremony.
An estimated 40,000 people turned out for last month’s event which was headlined by rapper Professor Green and retro rockers Slade.
The night, which was the centrepiece of the Fair City’s Winter Festival, is thought to have generated more than £1.5 million for the area.
However, the local authority is not saying how much money was spent on this year’s acts. It wants to keep details under wraps until a separate study, assessing in detail the economic benefits of this year’s switch-on, is ready to be published.
A freedom of information request by the Courier was refused, despite details of previous years’ fees being made public.
A spokesman for the council’s FOI office explained that the information was exempt — under section 27(1)(a) of the FOI act — because it was “information intended for future publication.”
He said: “Section 27 is subject to the public interest test whereby the information should still be released if the public interest in disclosing the information is greater than the public interest in withholding it.
“We are currently in the process of gathering all information relating to the Winter Festival and whilst the early disclosure of some information would satisfy the general right of access to information, it would also provide an inaccurate representation of the event as a whole.”
He added: “I therefore do not consider that the public interest would be served by the disclosure of the information requested.”
Last year, the council paid £50,000 for musical acts including pop band Lawson, ’80s icon Billy Ocean and rockers Showaddywaddy.
In 2014, the council became embroiled in a row over the £20,000 it paid for headline act Peter Andre.
The authority had initially refused to name the Mysterious Girl star’s payment, but was forced to after a successful challenge to the Ombudsman.
The year before, reality TV star Mark Wright switched on the city’s lights at a cost of £7,000.
The council has pledged to reveal the fees paid to this year’s acts no later than January 26.
East Renfrewshire-based Bellerby Economics has been appointed to draw up a report on the November 19 event.
The same company was appointed to evaluate last year’s show and declared it had made £1.6 million for the local economy.
Bellerby, which has carried out similar studies up and down the country, is being paid £7,000 for the work, which also includes a “visitor profile, visitor spend and economic impact” assessment of the recent St Andrew’s Day Festival.
Kairen Ruse, owner of the Blues and Browns fashion store, said: “It is profoundly worrying that they are able to not tell us the truth or divulge information that should be in the public interest.”
Mrs Ruse, an outspoken critic of the council, added: “We the taxpayers are entitled to know what are money is being spent on. They seem to think they know what’s best for us.
“We need more transparency.”
Analysis
by Perth Reporter, Jamie Buchan
Like satsumas in Tesco, the Pogues on the radio and coal in your stocking — attempts to get Perth and Kinross Council to reveal the true cost of its Christmas lights ceremony has become something of a seasonal tradition.
It started a few years back, when the Fair City decided to ramp up its Winter Festival offerings.
While many questioned the choice of the 2013 headline act, Towie star Mark Wright, he undoubtedly helped lure tens of thousands of people into the city centre.
But there was anger when it emerged the council had forked out £7,000 for the ITV2 personality.
After 2014’s show, the council initially refused to reveal how much it paid for top act Peter Andre. However, after a nine month battle and an appeal to the ombudsman, it was revealed that the Mysterious Girl singer had cost taxpayers £20,000.
The council said it was under pressure from talent agents not to reveal Andre’s fee.
However the truth is that the actual amount of money that Perth and Kinross Council pays for its performances is becoming irrelevant.
We know that it will be broadly similar to previous year’s figures — somewhere between £50,000 and £60,000 — or perhaps slightly more, given that all stops were pulled out for this year’s show, a crucial part of Perth’s bid for City of Culture 2021.
And for the many, many people who enjoyed this year’s event, it will be money well spent.
The real question is about transparency: As taxpayers, we are entitled to know how much of our money is being spent on these large-scale shows.
Councillors have also asked why they don’t get a say in the selection process.
Blocking a freedom of information request in this way is a bit like being told to wait until January to open your Christmas presents.
