Councillors have called for high-level resignations amid claims of a scandalous waste of public money over the failed £12 million bid to revamp Southend's Cliffs Pavilion.

In a rare display of cross-party unity, members fired a devastating broadside at the Arts Council - which hands out Government and lottery cash - and urged board members to quit.

The move is the latest twist in a saga which broke a week ago when the Arts Council decided not to back the Cliffs' millennium makeover in this bidding round.

However, two years previously the Arts Council boosted borough coffers with a grant of £850,000 to work up detailed proposals for the refurbishment.

In effect, this cash has now been wasted.

On Thursday night, furious councillors queued up to attack the Arts Council which, it was claimed, had a vendetta against Southend.

Howard Briggs, (Con, Belfairs) asked: "What does it take to get these people to distribute funds in Southend?

"Our residents pay their taxes and even buy lottery tickets just like everyone else.

"I know that they care about their town like everyone else.

"Their interest in the arts is as great, if not greater than anywhere else.

"Our pier is as precious as any other but we are penalised for looking after it."

He added: "The people of Southend over the years have put up with a lot of insults relating to south Essex which we all knew related to stereotypes.

"We knew that they were untrue for the vast majority and we assumed that a sophisticated group of people such as those at the Arts Council would appreciate them for what they were.

"However, our experiences of the Palace Theatre should have warned us that when push comes to shove, these particular leopards were not about to change their spots or ideas.

"They disliked Southend which they were quite happy to call a regional centre for the arts as long as it didn't cost them any money.

"Words came cheap and cheap is probably the word that describes their subsequent actions.

"When money became tighter because of Government policies, where did the Arts Council make savings? In Southend."

Leisure services chairman, councillor David Elf (Lib Dem) urged his colleagues to support calls for the Arts Council's board to resign.

He said: "This is simply a scandalous waste of public money - their behaviour has been nothing short of appalling."

Labour leader, councillor Chris Dandridge added: "The Arts Council gave us £850,000 of public money which we might as well have turned into paper darts and fired off the pier.

"I certainly approve of the resignation call'

"If they are going to make decisions like this, then I am sure the public will have absolutely no confidence in them."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.