Plans for a controversial £25,000 statue in the heart of Basildon have been branded a complete waste of taxpayers' money.

Basildon Council Tories claim the cash should have been spent on the struggling Citizens Advice Bureaux in Wickford and Billericay.

Both groups face closure if Basildon Council does not provide them with extra funding of £10,000 each.

After plans for the town square statue were submitted to Basildon Council, Billericay CAB chairman Steve Lynch said today (Wednesday): "It seems ironic Basildon Council can spend £25,000 on this when we have a cash shortfall."

Billericay CAB will hold a crisis meeting in August to decide its future.

Tory group leader Tony Ball said: "The money would be far better spent on helping the CABs. They are battling to keep their heads above water while the council is spending valuable cash on a piece of art.

"We are not against the art - but the cash should be from private sponsorship."

Labour leaders claimed the Tories were being "spiteful" and single minded.

Nigel Smith, chairman of Basildon Council's community and leisure services committee, said: "It is time the Tories supported the town centre instead of knocking it. The statue will be an impressive asset."

Artist Michael Condron has been commissioned to construct the stainless steel abstract sculpture of a man, woman and child.

Centrepiece of controversy - the abstract sculpture

Picture: ROBIN WOOSEY

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