A DECISION to give more money to Colchester's Firstsite gallery has come under fire.

Colchester Council's Cabinet agreed to give an extra £100,000 to Firstsite - on top of the £127,000 it paid this year.

But the move was blasted by former Colchester MP Sir Bob Russell, who is now the town's High Steward, in his first political intervention since losing his Parliamentary seat.

The donation has come about because the council had an extra £600,000 it had not budgeted for.

But Sir Bob said the money should be given charities such as Age UK Colchester.

He said: “I will ask the Cabinet to consider if this extra £100,000 could be matched for Age UK Colchester, which could fund their welfare rights service for four years.

“It would generate £5million to the local economy and it would be of great assistance to disadvantaged citizens.

“It’s thanks to this elderly generation we are in this position in a thriving prosperous town, and there are a significant number who are missing out.”

The extra £100,000 is set to be match funded by Essex County Council which also gives £100,000 to the gallery each year.

Firstsite has also received £1.6 million from the Arts Council over two years.

Tim Young, Colchester Council's portfolio holder for community safety, licensing and culture, said: “The additional £100,000 is building on the excellent work that Anthony Roberts has done and we need to build on that work.

“Firstsite is on the rise and there is a real change in their fortunes.

"We have seen how many people will come there if there is something more attractive to offer and I would hope everyone would see this as value for money.”

Council leader Paul Smith said Age UK Colchester ould potentially get funding through a new £200,000 grant project.

The cabinet will put £200,000 in a pot for special projects across Colchester.

Groups and organisations will make bids for money to help the council achieve its aims and then the public will decide who gets the money.

The idea is to hold public votes to decide who gets what from the new pot.