Confused council chiefs still do not know why a lottery cash bid for the Cliffs Pavilion was refused - two months after the controversial decision.

The Arts Council has still not given any reasons for refusing to even consider granting matchfunding to make the Southend venue suitable for large scale touring productions.

Shockwaves rippled through the town when the decision was announced in July that no more cash would be forthcoming - despite the lottery giving £850,000 for a detailed design brief to be drawn up.

Many felt the go-ahead for the £15 million project to widen the backstage area and revamp the performance area and auditorium would be inevitable.

Yesterday Southend's two MPs and leisure bosses agreed to make representations to the Arts Council and demand to know why the bid was blocked.

Sir Teddy Taylor, David Amess and council bosses also resolved to investigate appealing against the decision.

The possibility of applying for another round of arts capital grants up for grabs early next year was also discussed.

Mr Amess, Southend West MP, said: "After the Arts Council gave us the £850,000, I thought second phase decision was simply a formality.

"I expected the entire project to go ahead. The bid for the Cliffs met all the criteria we knew about and we want to discover if there are any new criteria. We feel the town has been treated in a very cavalier fashion, and both myself and Sir Teddy are going to raise our concerns in Parliament."

Southend Council's assistant leisure director Andrew Lewis said: "We felt our bid was a very strong case and met all the criteria and it is difficult to understand why it was refused.

"We have sent the Arts Council a list of detailed questions but have yet to receive any response although we have been told a meeting will be set up to discuss the issue."

If all the queries to the Arts Council meet with a blank, the council will have to look elsewhere for funding for the Cliffs.

Mr Lewis added: "It means people in this area are being deprived of large-scale touring productions to which audiences in other areas have easy access."

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