Southend: £30,000 Spent On City Of Culture Bid

12 July 2013, 08:45 | Updated: 12 July 2013, 08:49

Figures shown to Heart reveal Southend Borough Council spent £30,000 in its bid to be named the UK City of Culture 2017.

Out of that money, £4,050 was spend on Southend's Cultural Festival in June which was aimed at promoting the bid.

The seaside town failed to make it through to the shortlist though.

Instead Dundee, Hull, Leicester and Swansea Bay are the areas that will compete for the title, with the winning location to be announced in November.

Councillor Derek Jarvis is in charge of leisure and tourism at Southend Borough Council.

He has told us that the money is justified: "Being awarded the City of Culture would have greatly developed Southend's economy and although we have not been shortlisted, taking part has raised the borough's profile which in turn will assist with further cultural developments and assist to improve the economy.

"During the period of preparing the bid and awaiting the short listing decision, numerous events were organised which in their own right increased visitor numbers to Southend and enhanced our reputation as a cultural destination.

"A recent Local Government Association survey has shown that £1 invested in culture by the local authority is on average yielding £4 in the economy.

"As such, the Council invested £30,000 into the UK City of Culture bid

"This equates 0.15% of the Council's expected gross expenditure on culture and tourism and 0.02% of the Council's expected gross expenditure in 2013/14."