Wakefield Council to spend on park and former crown court
A £500,000 council grant look set to be given to the Yorkshire Sculpture Park to help meet the cost of a new gallery and restaurant.
Wakefield Council is considering providing the grant towards the £3.8m cost of the development which will also include a shop.
If it provides the one-off grant, the council looks likely to bring to an end the annual £118,000 it gives to the park.
Coun Les Shaw, Wakefield Council’s cabinet member for culture, leisure and sport, said: “The Yorkshire Sculpture Park has achieved regional, national and international recognition for its work over the last 30 years.
“It has contributed a huge amount to the region’s economic growth, and has helped to promote our district as a great place to live, work, play and study.
“We have provided annual financial support for many years and have seen YSP grow to become a world leader in its field.
“But now is the time to consider if we should support them in a new way – by giving help which will enable them to sustain their own future.”
Wakefield Council’s cabinet will consider the grant offer next week at a meeting where they will also consider the future of the former crown court building in the city.
The council bought the grade II-listed building two years ago following concerns about its crumbling state and councillors will be told the authority should now spend £1.5m to restore it to a state where it can be sold again.