More on KentOnline
More on KentOnline
Sandwich will contribute to an Open Golf Legacy fund which will help green community causes in the town.
But the gesture - for which a figure is yet to be agreed - should not come from the town’s £3.3million Toll Bridge Fund, it was argued.
The R&A, organisers of The Open golf championship, has pledged £100,000 to local community groups and organisations to support projects that will have a positive and lasting impact on the town.
It is a gift to Sandwich for hosting the prestigious 149th event at Royal St George’s from July 12 to 19 this year.
£75,000 of the cash has already been earmarked for the Guildhall Forecourt redesign. The remaining £25,000 will go into a legacy fund which can topped up by other authorities including Kent County Council and Dover District Council if they wish.
Trustees of the Sandwich Toll Bridge Fund who sit on the town council were asked if they would like to be associated with the fund by making a contribution.
Cllr Danielle Sivrokaya stated she thought the R&A was already “wealthy enough” while Cllr Anne Fox asked for more information on what exactly the fund would be used for.
Cllr MJ Holloway clarified that the new one-off fund was still in its infancy but would be a high profile initiative launched before the tournament.
Cllr John Bragg said: “If we’re not going to be a part of it, it will look particularly stupid.
“We should support it but it should not be against the Sandwich Toll Bridge Fund.”
He argued that the money should be taken from the town council’s budget.
Cllr Bill Staple said: “It would be extraordinary if Sandwich Town Council did not support this.”
It was agreed that members would support the scheme in principle, with finer details discussed at future meetings.
To find out more about The Open 2020, attend a drop-in session from 11am until 8pm on Monday, February 10, inside The Guildhall.
Representatives from the R&A, Dover District Council, Kent County Council, Network Rail and Southeastern will be on hand to answer questions.
