PRESSURE is being placed on Waverley Borough Council to reveal financial details of East Street regeneration plans, amid refuted claims profit is being put before benefit to the town.

Simon Cordon, Liberal Democrat spokesperson for South West Surrey, said there was ÒsuspicionÓ among residents that the project was being commercially led.

He hit out at council leader David Harmer over comments in The Herald that the public knows nothing of the schemeÕs finances and should trust judgement on this to council members.

Mr Cordon said figures Òwould only remain secret as long as the council allowed them to beÓ, and believed release of such details was the only way to gain public confidence in the plans.

Strongly refuting the claim the project was for financial gain, Mr Harmer said he was not aware of its financial specifics, as only council officers were currently privy to contractual details.

However, he added, the council would not be insisting a large central section of the site (Brightwell House) remains, if profit from the redevelopment was its concern.

In a letter to Mr Harmer, Mr Cordon said: ÒThere is deep suspicion that Waverley Conservatives have a distinct preference for letting this development be commercially led, with the financial interests of developers being paramount, in effect an asset strip.

ÒSimilarly there is a fear that Waverley will be tempted by a package that offers greater financial benefits to itself and lesser benefits to Farnham, over a scheme that offers the best for Farnham even if the financial benefit for Waverley is less.

ÒFrom my viewpoint, and analysis of the facts, I am persuaded that you are determined on the course of maximum financial benefit to Waverley, irrespective of the needs of Farnham.Ó

He dismissed Mr HarmerÕs claim the schemeÕs finances were withheld for commercially sensitive reasons under government guidelines (see letters page) as being ÒnonsenseÓ.

While accepting some details may have to be withheld, he called for a broad financial outline to be given.

ÒKeeping finances secret was relevant before the bids were picked, but all of those developers have had the opportunity to see the bids of others, so the concept of commercial security goes out of the window.Ó

Describing the recent redevelopment exhibition as a Òpoor marketing exerciseÓ, he hoped the second display of plans at the Gostrey Centre next month would be improved.

He added that a combination of cross party and public support was required for the success of the scheme to ensure the right decision is reached.

Responding to his criticism, Mr Harmer said feedback at the exhibition had been largely positive. Conceding that while some residents he encountered did not like any of the schemes, he believed the majority favoured change.

On the process for handling the regeneration, he said it had been agreed by the council to look at design elements before dealing with the financial implications next month at an informal meeting.

He said: ÒThere may be two or three schemes that have the quality we are looking for, and we will have to look at the finances of these. Some may be financially unacceptable.

ÒThis project could be something which costs us money, but everyone is assuming we are going to get some huge sum of money, which is not necessarily the case.Ó

He added: ÒThere has been substantial consultation on what is in the development brief, but if people do not like what the market place offers, then we can just do nothing. We have not written that off.Ó

Captain Peter Burden, who heads the scrutiny group at the centre of the development plans said the project was Òvital to the viability of FarnhamÓ.

He said before any contracts were agreed, financial details of the scheme would be placed in the public arena.

A decision on development plans is due to be made by the full Waverley Council on October 15.